The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed appointing infrastructure consultancy firm AECOM Asia Company Limited to prepare a comprehensive redevelopment blueprint for a section of Powai Lake along Adi Shankaracharya Marg. The civic body has estimated the consultancy cost at Rs 1.85 crore and has sought an exemption from the standard public tendering process for the appointment.
The proposal, recently placed before the standing committee, seeks administrative approval to engage the consultant for four months to develop a detailed redevelopment strategy and technical design for the lakefront promenade and adjoining areas.
The move comes nearly 18 years after the 1.8-km promenade between the Ganesh Ghat and Pawarwadi immersion points was developed in 2008. Since then, the stretch has seen limited restoration or beautification efforts despite growing public use and changing infrastructure requirements.
Spread across 223 hectares with a catchment area of 6.61 sq km, Powai Lake is one of Mumbai’s prominent water bodies. Civic officials said the need for redevelopment has intensified due to multiple ongoing infrastructure projects in the vicinity. Construction of staircases and escalators linked to upcoming Metro Line 7 stations at Rambagh and Powai Lake, along with underground sewage pipeline works aimed at preventing untreated wastewater from entering the lake, has damaged sections of the promenade and footpaths.
Authorities have reportedly received repeated complaints from local residents and elected representatives regarding the deteriorating condition of the lakefront.
The redevelopment initiative also follows directions issued during a high-level meeting held in August 2025 under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister’s secretary to discuss Powai Lake’s revival. Officials were instructed to examine the feasibility of developing adjoining land parcels and create a financially sustainable model capable of generating its own revenue.
Civic officials stressed that any redevelopment work would require careful planning due to the ecological sensitivity of the lake. “Since most interventions are proposed along the lake’s edge, the project will need to ensure minimal disturbance to aquatic life and biodiversity,” said a civic official.
Source: The Times of India
