Growing skyline lacks green touch

While the city has been pushed to go vertical in the absence of space, civic planners and activists have long demanded that developers incorporate environmentally conscious models into their projects to ease the burden on Mumbai's already creaking infrastructure.
However, few developers are incorporating such elements-like on-site power generation or waste-treatment facilities-in their plans to build towers that are over 70 metres high.
Barely a handful of the 149 high-rise projects cleared by a state-appointed committee over the past five-and-a-half years have included facilities like solar power, solar heating, windmills, rainwater harvesting or vermicomposting. The high-rise committee had been set up because of the surge in projects a few years ago and concerns about the effect this could have on the environment and infrastructure.
"Developers are only interested in scaling greater heights without thinking about more meaningful issues, such as global warming and environmental degradation. For many developers, concepts like solar energy, windmills or even rainwater harvesting do not exist,'' said a member of the high-rise panel.
Many developers who gave the panel proposals had not even accounted for inadequate water supply in the area, sources said. No clear plans were submitted on how any shortfall would be met. "One would hope that there will not be a burden on the existing infrastructure of water, sewerage and electricity, as the owners of these skyscrapers were told to set up their own power generation and treatment plants, but rather than do that in the public interest and for the benefit of the neighbourhood, they have designed high-rises exclusively for their benefit,'' said Milan Dave, a consultant with a well-known civil engineering and construction firm.
The misuse of open spaces on account of podiums built for parking is another problem. "In Manhattan, if a developer takes away open space, he has to account for it by constructing a public atrium on the first few floors so people can just walk in and hang out with family and friends,'' said Smita Gupta, who works with an architectural firm.
However, Manish Grover, vice-president of marketing for a realty firm, said that most developers take care of problems cited when getting approvals. "Going vertical itself gives us a premium on space, an ample amount of which is used to build public amenities,'' he said.
Nayana Kathpalia, convenor of Citispace, put the onus on the government. "The state thinks that FSI or going vertical is the answer to all problems. However, the policy of giving FSI and transfer of development rights has burdened the city because it does not go hand-in-hand with planning. There are areas in Gamdevi where the redevelopment of buildings has been allowed up to 15 floors, but the road is so narrow a fire engine can't enter,'' she said.