Pune:'Quality open spaces have become a luxury rather than an absolute necessity and are hurting especially the poor and current policy instruments need empowerment in dealing with the protection of the open spaces in metro cities especially in Mumbai',says a research paper by Architect Ashish Kelkar.This research paper published in ‘International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts’ recently.

Ashish Kelkar, is an Architect, Urban Planner by profession,having 22 years experience has written this research paper.He holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a master’s degree in Town and Country Planning and has published four academic papers internationally.

His findings says,,'Social interactions of people in open spaces help to grow businesses and thus, cities grow. However, there is a change in the current notion of recreation and leisure in Indian cities which revolve around indoor spaces and are paid for. Quality open spaces have become a luxury rather than an absolute necessity and are hurting especially the poor. Over half of the urban population in Mumbai lives in slums and the lack of open spaces in these areas affects them the most.

This means the transformation of various land uses into urban areas which mostly are unplanned and uncontrolled urban expansion leading to environmental degradation, housing shortage, poor water quality, increased air pollution, inappropriate waste management etc. 

According to research,vegetation in Mumbai has declined from 53.63% in 1973 to 33.76% in 2009 with a net loss in the vegetation of up to 62.79% in the last four decades. Within the same period, the built-up area increased by 155% with urban sprawl visible toward the southwest and northeast sectors of the metropolitan area.

With substantial reference he stated that,'Urban open space per capita is consistently degrading. Therefore, it is important that current policy instruments need empowerment in dealing with the protection of the open spaces in Mumbai. A broader and more radical strategies are required in the development of smart villages along with smart cities, other than small improvement policies at the city level, to mitigate the root cause of this environmental degradation in the cities. This includes provision of necessary infrastructure, amenities,and jobs at rural level to reduce migration from rural areas and achieve self-sufficiency that was envisioned by the father of our nation Mahatma Gandhi.