Mumbai's 2040 crisis: Can smarter planning save Bandra from overcrowding?

Mumbai faces dramatic changes by 2040, with population and car numbers set to surge in areas like Bandra. Architect Samir D'Monte has proposed major adjustments to urban planning to cope with the growth and preserve the city’s character. By 2040, a typical Bandra street will see its population jump from 1,600 to 2,700, a rise of over 68% since the 1990s. Cars on the same street are expected to grow from 150 to 900, marking a 200% increase. Built-up areas on urban plots will double under the current floor space index of 2.7.

D’Monte warns that Mumbai’s uniform development control regulations risk eroding the city’s diverse landscape. He recommends amending these rules to restrict parking to underground spaces and a single ground floor. This would help regulate the number of cars and apartments.

To improve living conditions, he suggests building satellite cities around Mumbai with high-speed rail connections. Each cluster should have a bus stop within a seven-minute walk and a railway station within 10 minutes. He also calls for footpaths to be designed based on local population density. Without intervention, Bandra’s streets will become far more crowded with people and vehicles. D’Monte’s proposals aim to manage growth through smarter planning and infrastructure. The changes could help maintain livable conditions in Mumbai over the coming decades.