The exhibition estimates that there are approximately 8.01 sq km of wetlands in the city , most notably along the Sewri coast , and 0.4 sq km of boardwalks and other features could be developed along them for the public's recreational pleasure . The city's increasingly polluted wetlands have also been struggling to survive in the face of ever-expanding construction . The Open Mumbai proposal also aims to protect these ecologically sensitive zones by demarcating them and getting them included in the city's Development Plan for conservation and recreational development . "In urban planning and development terms , wetlands , including saltpans , are commonly assumed to be wastelands , and therefore under-utilized . But wetlands are a part of nature's bio-engineering , protecting coastlines , checking soil erosion , enabling flood control and providing feeding and breeding grounds to marine life," says architect P K Das , an Open Mumbai organizer .
Moreover , saltpan lands , part of Mumbai's wetlands , are facing a real threat . The state government is trying to seek the Centre's nod to open them up for affordable housing . "We propose to create planned public spaces along wetland edges as part of a larger conservation plan . This could hopefully create a barricade while enabling our objective of integrating and expanding open spaces in the city . Boardwalks , promenades and gardens along their edges would allow us to enjoy the city's rich natural treasures ," says Das.
According to the Open Mumbai proposal , the area around the Sewri wetlands could be landscaped and boardwalks built on neglected land to attract visitors. Read the full report here.
Source: Sukhada Tatke, TNN, Mumbai.
