500 Powai Residents Protest Unplanned Commercial Expansion and Traffic Woes
Around 500 residents of Powai took to the streets on Sunday to stage a silent protest against extensive, unplanned commercial development in the neighbourhood. Organised by the Powai Action Forum under the banner "SAVE POWAI - Build Infra First, Then Built The Project," participants marched with placards from Haiko in Hiranandani Gardens to Atal Park, highlighting severe traffic congestion, environmental damage, and overstressed civic infrastructure along the Powai-Chandivali corridor.
Demonstrators emphasised that they are not opposed to development, but are demanding evidence-based urban planning. Residents estimate that upcoming commercial developments will introduce more than 20,000 additional vehicle trips each day, threatening complete gridlock. They called on authorities to halt large-scale permissions until a cumulative impact assessment is conducted covering traffic, sewage, water supply, drainage, emergency access, and the environment.
"We already have a 30,000-seat Global Capacity Centre (GCC) coming up, while existing commercial and residential developments are also being redeveloped or expanded," said Milan Bhatt, a Powai resident and ALM secretary. Bhatt noted that documentation indicates redevelopments at Haiko, City Park, and multiple residential sites in the area, urging the government to evaluate the combined impact rather than viewing projects individually.
Pamela Cheema, Chairperson of the Powai ALM, stated that the area's infrastructure cannot cope with additional construction. She suggested that large commercial projects should instead be directed to other parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region where more land and space are available.
The protest drew support from the Chandivali Citizens Welfare Association (CCWA). CCWA Founder Mandeep Singh Makkar attributed the traffic issues in Powai and Chandivali to decades of flawed civic planning by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). He noted that long-pending road projects, including the 90-foot Chandivali road planned since 1990 and tendered in 2023, remain incomplete alongside vital connectors linking Sakinaka to JVLR and Powai. The CCWA demanded an immediate freeze on new construction permits until essential road networks are operational.
Responding to community concerns, a spokesperson for BGRE, formerly Brookfield Properties, which is developing the GCC, said the company is committed to sustainable urban development, green spaces, and community engagement. The spokesperson added that all work is conducted with required statutory approvals and under applicable guidelines.
The demonstration follows an August 2 public awareness meeting by the Powai ALM, where residents raised concerns regarding mega-projects advancing without adequate public consultations, as well as ongoing hill cutting linked to rehabilitation and commercial schemes.
