
After a lot of dithering, the tempo is picking up again. The new BMC commissioner Sitaram Kunte along with the High-rise Committee chairman Shafi Parkar have recently approved 78 proposals for developing skyscrapers.
A skyscraper is defined as buildings having a height of over 70 metres. At roughly 3 m per floor- that would work out to be a 25-26 storey building.
If one goes into comparison mode, then cities like Shanghai, New York and many other key cities have many more than Mumbai. According to some sources, Mumbai has barely 30 buildings of 100m or more.
With the severe space crunch, there is no option but to get taller !
However some basic elements need to be kept in mind.
Can the infrastructure around these mighty towers support the development.
The Ministry for Environment & Forests had recently laid out new rules for the open area around each such structure. The EAC recommended that the height of the building should be linked with the width of the road (right of way ) from 18m to 45m and above. Also the distance of Fire Station from the building to handle emergencies and evacuation was important
The fire-fighting department has to get its act together to look at the new scenario in the future.
As of now the tallest fire-fighting ladder in the world is just 120m. Mumbai hopes to get a 98m ladder soon.
With regards to getting necessary permission- the High-rise Committee approval is not necessary for structures below 120 m. Structures between 120 & 200 m would require a closer scrutiny by Indian experts from institutions like VJTI & IIT. Those above 200m would require international consultants to clear them.
Mumbai’s skyline is now all set to change!
Sadly does that also mean...more expensive flats only for the elite ??
A skyscraper is defined as buildings having a height of over 70 metres. At roughly 3 m per floor- that would work out to be a 25-26 storey building.
If one goes into comparison mode, then cities like Shanghai, New York and many other key cities have many more than Mumbai. According to some sources, Mumbai has barely 30 buildings of 100m or more.
With the severe space crunch, there is no option but to get taller !
However some basic elements need to be kept in mind.
Can the infrastructure around these mighty towers support the development.
The Ministry for Environment & Forests had recently laid out new rules for the open area around each such structure. The EAC recommended that the height of the building should be linked with the width of the road (right of way ) from 18m to 45m and above. Also the distance of Fire Station from the building to handle emergencies and evacuation was important
The fire-fighting department has to get its act together to look at the new scenario in the future.
As of now the tallest fire-fighting ladder in the world is just 120m. Mumbai hopes to get a 98m ladder soon.
With regards to getting necessary permission- the High-rise Committee approval is not necessary for structures below 120 m. Structures between 120 & 200 m would require a closer scrutiny by Indian experts from institutions like VJTI & IIT. Those above 200m would require international consultants to clear them.
Mumbai’s skyline is now all set to change!
Sadly does that also mean...more expensive flats only for the elite ??