Mumbai population will plunge by 1 million by 2034 claims BMC Chief

BMC Chief Ajoy Mehta

BMC Chief Ajoy Mehta made a presentation on ‘Making Mumbai Work’ at the BRICS summit on Friday. During his presentation, he also announced that according to the population projection made by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the city’s population will decline by 1 million by 2034.

The report stating the projection was submitted by the MMRDA to the BMC two months ago. And based on these projections, the municipal corporation is now revising its Draft Development-2034.

Mehta added that given the projection is for a dip in the population, the BMC will have to utilize open spaces, houses and infrastructure to take care of the shortfall and create adequate amenities.

Mehta was quoted saying “Since only 10% of the current development plan has been implemented, there will be a shortfall of one million houses. The sharp growth rate between 1981 and 2001 has thrown up four challenges—housing, open spaces, employment and social equity,” he said. “We are short of 75 lakh dwelling units and need 100 lakh tenements by 2034. This can be achieved by rehabilitation of slums and old buildings and striking a balance between in-situ development (vertical) and creating new nodes. We will have to ensure that the population is neither too thinly spread creating problems of transport nor too densely packed.”

The BMC Chief has announced that the Draft Development Plan will focus on social equity by setting up women’s’ hostels for female students, day-care centres for ease of working women and women-only vendor zones. For the elderly, it aims to set up old-age homes and care centres.