colors in the plan
Compiled from the MCGM/ Group SCE Preparatory Studies (PS) for the Greater Mumbai DP 2014 the content extracts (pg nos, 41-57) looks at the progress of colors introduced in the latest plans in city making. Modifying the DP 1991 by applying the design standards as specified in the National Urban Information System Scheme 2006, the city (its drawings) as we have seen up till now will be updated. To be are significant changes since the DP 1991 in both, the categories as well as the nature of classification. To capture the current existing land uses accurately, some new categories have been created (for e.g. Environmentally Sensitive Areas, Urban Villages and Offices) and in addition each land use has also subdivided into several new sub categories so as to capture the full range of land use types in Greater Mumbai. The PS suggests the updates in two varying structural edits that are both compiled here. When compared the to the DP 1991’s legend the progress in technology becomes apparent. The avenue to tap in the broader possibilities in digital color eliminates the symbolic annotations and hatch typologies. The question with color in planning and thus its iterative representation would be towards the effectiveness of improved techniques. With the addition of layers and better tonal range to colors does map production in any way simplify the planning process? or Is it just a veneer of time that is forced to be adapted?
_ DP 2014 Land Use Categorisations
The Main Land Use Categories have been illustrated below along with respective codes and subcodes that have been used to denote them in the Existing Land Use Map.
01] Residential _ These include 5 sub categories from R1 to R5 covering single family houses, apartments, all Government provided housing, chawls and slums. Residential uses are also further classified to include the largely mixed use character of Mumbai’s Residential Areas that coexist with local shopping and commercial or industrial uses. Accordingly, each category is further subdivided into Residential-Commercial or Residential-Shopping or Residential-Housing where the predominant use is residential with a significant presence of the secondary use.
02] Commercial _ In general, this category covers business and retail activities. It is subdivided to include Markets (both wholesale and retail), Hotels (lodges and star categories) and other commercial uses along with the formal Municipal Markets, Shopping Centres and Malls, Warehouses, godowns and cold storages are included in this category but their largely industrial nature is shown through the use of a different colour code that matches the ‘industry’ category.
03] Offices _ are usually included under the commercial category. However, due to their significant presence in Mumbai, and considering several new types of offices that have emerged over the last decade, a new separte land use category called “Offices” has been created. Offices have been further categorised to demarcate Municipal offices, all offices belonging to Government-Centre or State, Municipal Chowkies, Octroi Offices, IT and IT Enabled Offices, and all other offices. Through offices have been a main code ‘O’, in order to captue the commercial nature of offices in general they share the same color as the commercial category. However, the Government Offices included in this category. However, the Government Offices included in this category are represented by a different colour code to denote their non-commercial nature.
04] Industrial _ All general industries, both heavy and light industries and industrial estates are included under Industrial Category. This category also included the film industry (with its studios and processing units) as a separate industry.
05] Urban Villages _ These include all older traditional settlements in the city-villages or gaothans as well as fishing villages or koliwadas. Some of these are also included under the heritage list as ‘heritage precincts’.
06] Primary Activity _ Primary sector activities such as fishing/ drying yards, plantation, dairy, cattle shed, tabelas, cattle pounds and saltpans are included in this category. Quarrying and dhobi ghats are also included.
07] Natural Areas and Open Spaces _ These include National Parks, forests including mangrove forests (as identified by the Forest Department), saltpans, mud flats, hills and all water bodies (including natural water courses, lakes, tanks and ponds). All Open Spaces are included in this category from small playgrounds, to promenades and beaches and recreational grounds.
08] Vacant Land _ These include vacant lands, which are lying undeveloped.
09] Unclassified Land _ Restricted land use classified under this category.
10] Amenities and Public Utilities _ Usually amenities are included under Public or Semi-Public use. In the current DP 1991, social amenities and public utilities were included as reservations and amenities such as hospitals and schools are permitted to be developed by private owners. Hence, in the Land Use categories amenities and public utilities are not classified under Public-Semi-Public use. Instead, all the obligatory functions of the MCGM.
10.1] Medical Amenities _ These include dispensaries, maternity homes, hospitals and other medical services. These amenities are further sub-divided to differentiate between municipal and private facilities. In addition, all cemeteries, crematoriums and burial grounds for all faiths are classified under Medical Amenities since they are managed by the Health Department. Note: private dispensaries, maternity homes, consulting clinics, etc. forming part of a building used for residential/ commercial use are not captured.
10.2] Social Amenities _ These include social and cultural centres such as public halls, welfare centres, auditoriums, art galleries, theatres, libraries and museums. Religious spaces and law keeping facilities like police stations, chowkies, courts and prisons are also included in this category.
10.3] Educational Amenities _ These include all educational institutions. Sub categories cover municipal and private schools, special schools, colleges, polytechnics, all institutions of higher learning like professional colleges, IIT, NITIE, all research institutes and universities.
10.4] Public Utilities and Facilities _ These include all basic utilities such as power generation and supply, water supply, sewage collection and disposal, solid waste disposal, storm water disposal and fire brigade. Each utility is further subdivided into sub-categories. Power includes electric power plants, transmission stations and HTL/transmission lines and receiving stations; Water includes aqueducts, water reservoirs and water pumping stations and public sanitary conveniences are the subcategories under Sewage; Solid Water includes Solid Waste Disposal sites and refuse stations.
11] Transport and Communication Facilities _ These include all bus depots; railway terminals, railway stations, yards and siding; airports; metro and monorail stations; truck terminals and freight complexes; sea ports and jetties; public parking facilities and RTO’s
_ DP 1991 (sourced from: Municipal Corporation of Greater Bombay, Map of A Ward - Part III, Sanctioned Development Plan 1981 - 2001)
