BMC identifies five open plots for civic malls
linah baliga

in a bid to deliver its promise of providing municipal malls, the bmc has
identified five open plots in the suburbs which were reserved for markets.
the five vacant plots identified are l t market babhai in borivili (w),
takiyawadi kurla (w), kanama nagar in vikhroli (e), godrej plot, vikhroli
(w) and borla devi, govandi (w). the advertisement for expression of
interest is given to invite private parties and architects.

during the budget session, the civic corporation had made a provision of
rs15 crore for 2007-08 to construct municipal malls, which would be called
m-cube and will have a logo of their own.

an advertisement with expression of interest will be given to invite private
parties and architects to design the one-stop-shops.

said kishore gajbhiye, additional municipal commissioner, eastern suburbs,
"this is still in the process and once it is done, we shall utilise our own
plots for the construction of the malls. based on the concept of a
multi-storied market in nagpur, the malls will sell commodities like
vegetables, fruits, meat, poultry products and cutlery. so, it will be a
shopping area on the outskirts of town with isles of shops and even a coffee
shop."

the other five spots identified tentatively by the corporation are buildings
in dilapidated conditions and include kranti singh nana sahib patil
market(dadar), town market in bandra (w), laxmanrao yadav market in kurla
(w), somvar bazaar in malad and one more location in goregaon (e).
"the proposed malls will be constructed in build-ings with good hygiene
conditions with good ambience. it isn't a centrally air-conditioned market,
as ultimately it aims to become a junta mall," gajbhiye further said.

Publication : DNA; Section : mumbai; Pg : 7; Date : 8/7/07
URL :
http://digital.dnaindia.com/epapermain.aspx?edorsup=Main&queryed=9&querypage=7&boxid=30863354&parentid=45754&eddate=08/08/2007