Motilal Nagar redevelopment in Goregaon to add 15-acre green zone
MHADA's master plan for the 143-acre Motilal Nagar project sets aside over 15 acres for gardens and open spaces while saving 1,500 old trees.
The redevelopment of the Motilal Nagar 1, 2 and 3 areas in Goregaon West is set to give Mumbai a large green stretch. The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority, or MHADA, plans to create more than 15 acres of green space as part of the project.
The redevelopment is being carried out on a plot of about 143 acres under MHADA's Construction and Development Agency, or C&DA, model. The master plan was presented to residents a few months ago. Motilal Nagar 1 and Motilal Nagar 2-3 are the two main plots, located near New Link Road in Goregaon West. The project will resettle about 3,700 MHADA flat-owning families and is being run by the state government at an estimated cost of around Rs 1 lakh crore.
The master plan's key feature is 15 acres of green space, more than 10 percent of the total plot area. Large green spaces, gardens and open areas will be created at the podium level of the resettlement buildings, along with tree-lined roads and footpaths.
MHADA has also decided to save more than 1,500 old trees in the Motilal Nagar area during the redevelopment, without felling them. These include native Indian species such as Indian tulip tree, neem, banyan, kadamba, jamun, cluster fig, mango, jackfruit, coconut, Alstonia scholaris and Indian almond.
MHADA is currently prioritising cluster redevelopment, which aims to transform an entire area in a planned manner rather than just rebuilding old buildings. The Motilal Nagar project seeks a balance between modern buildings, internal roads, basic amenities, gardens, open spaces and tree cover, and could become a model for the redevelopment of other settlements in Mumbai.
Goregaon is becoming an important, well-connected hub of the western suburbs, with connectivity further boosted by facilities such as Metro 3. Residents are expected to get modern homes along with large-scale gardens and green spaces, offering a clean, healthy and environment-friendly lifestyle.
MHADA vice president and chief executive officer Sanjeev Jaiswal said cluster redevelopment does not just mean building new homes but creating a capable, all-round urban settlement. He said special attention is being paid in Motilal Nagar to modern basic amenities, sustainable planning and about 15 to 17 acres of green space, so as to build a future settlement that balances nature and urban life. According to Jaiswal, the redevelopment of Motilal Nagar could become a new model in Mumbai for housing as well as environmental conservation.
