The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed a strategy to mandate rooftop or terrace gardens for all new buildings of plot sizes over 2,000 sq m to compensate for the lack of open green spaces in Mumbai.
The civic body wants builders to use vertical gardens in their construction sites instead of tin sheets to obstruct their work. It is a part of the new rooftop or terrace and vertical garden policy of BMC, which will be implemented soon. The draft policy was proposed by the Gardens Department of BMC. The Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Chahal has now asked the BMC’s Development Plan (DP) department to review it and provide feedback for the policy. The BMC will consult with builders associations, including the Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry (MHCI) and the National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO), to review the implementation of the policy. According to Jitendra Pardeshi, Superintendent of Gardens Department, for increasing green cover in Mumbai, said that the policy guidelines the need for terrace or rooftop gardening and vertical gardens for biodiversity conservation. According to the policy, for developing a terrace or rooftop garden, builders must guarantee structural safety and leave adequate working space for facility servicing. Rooftop gardening should also include an irrigation system. The policy also proposes that the developers create vertical gardens during the construction of the project, on the side facing the main road, to reduce air and noise pollution. The policy guidelines have been given in-principal approval, and they will be made official after consultation with stakeholders and the DP department. The policy mandates large projects to provide podium gardens with native tree varieties with shallow root systems, and medium-sized canopy can accommodate while also ensuring structural stability and safety. Image Source
