Kala Ghoda streets to turn ‘walkers-only’ come September

MUMBAI: One of Mumbai’s most iconic art and food zones—the Kala Ghoda precinct in South Mumbai—is all set to turn into pedestrian-only territory. Taking a cue from Buchanan Street in Glasgow and Carnaby Street in London, the BMC has plans to pedestrianise four of Kala Ghoda’s roads—a move aimed at enhancing the character and cultural history of the place and increasing footfalls in the area.
The four streets earmarked for the project—Forbes Street, Saibaba Road, Rutherfield Street and B Bharucha Road—were chosen on account of their high density of activities revolving around food, culture, fashion and art. The Kala Ghoda Association, which holds the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival every year in the precinct, has welcomed the move, and the pedestrianisation project will be opened up on a trial basis on weekends in the first week of September from 7 pm to 12 am.
Architect Pritesh Bafna, who has designed the project at an estimated cost of ₹5.26 crore in Phase 1, said the approach was one of “minimal intervention with maximum impact”. “We are not looking at changing the precinct, only enhancing the scale of its existing character,” he said.
Bafna, who is from the Urban Design Architecture Initiative (UDAI), has also devised a parking mitigation plan for the four streets, in which parking slots for 13 cars and 40 bikes from B Bharucha Road will be temporarily shifted to Kala Ghoda Plaza and 11 bikes will be reserved on the adjacent road. The plan is similar for the other three streets till such time as a permanent parking lot is built.
When asked about the objective behind the pedestrianisation, Bafna said, “The Kala Ghoda festival is one of the premier art festivals in the world. The internal streets around the precinct have the best fashion boutiques, cafes and institutes. The scale of the place, which has nice, cosy, narrow streets, is very suited to pedestrian zones.”
Bafna added that though Kala Ghoda had a distinct character, the public realm in which it existed left a lot to be desired. “The quality of the roads, which are tar or concrete, and the kind of lamp posts used, for instance, are disconnected with the character of the precinct, and don’t leave one with a very favourable image or experience,” he said. “We want to develop an experiential place, symbiotic with the existing fabric and assets, to attract people and tourists. It will be a place where you can relax, walk and not fear being run over by a passing vehicle.”
The Kala Ghoda precinct project is part of a broader vision of legislative assembly speaker and BJP MLA Rahul Narwekar and former BJP corporator Makarand Narwekar. Both want to develop this part of Mumbai into a “world-class destination with an Indian soul”. “Kala Ghoda will be Mumbai’s first vehicle-free area,” said Makarand. Added Rahul, “It is the art neighbourhood of Mumbai. It has the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalay, Jehangir Art Gallery, National Gallery of Modern Art, Institute of Contemporary Art and Eliyahoo synagogue. The project will enhance tourism on these streets.”
Echoing Bafna’s sentiments, Makarand said that right now people only saw the beauty of the streets while the plan was to turn them into an experience. “Starting from Rhythm House, the four internal streets will have cobbled pathways, wall paintings and street artefacts,” he said. “The area already has cafés and restaurants. We are trying to enrich its cultural history.”
Makarand added that the concept of a vehicle-free zone would be implemented on a trial basis on the weekends to gauge the public response and familiarise visitors with the concept. “With new pavements, paintings and lights, we are designating spaces with benches where people can relax and tables where they can enjoy food from the nearby restaurants,” he said. Enough parking space will also be provided for visitors in nearby areas.”
Makarand added that pedestrian-only streets were a new concept for the city, and feedback would be invited for improvement. “For senior citizens and people with special needs, there will be RFID-based vehicle access,” he said. “We are open to feedback to ensure that people have the best experience in South Mumbai.”