The Maharashtra government has approved a new development plan for Mumbai, which will serve as the blueprint for the development of the country’s economic capital till 2034. What is it? According to Section 21 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966, every planning authority has to carry out a survey, prepare a land use map and prepare a draft development plan for the area within its jurisdiction and submit it to the State government for sanction. Mumbai’s last development plan was published in 1991 and a new plan for the next 20 years was to be published by 2014, but its first draft was released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) only in February 2015. The government scrapped it in April 2015, citing complaints of errors. A revised plan was submitted in May 2016. After it was vetted, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis signed off on the new plan on April 24, 2018. Why is freeing up land an issue? The proposals to unlock hitherto-untouchable land parcels have run into criticism from its drafting days. Buffer zones of mangroves, mudflats and creeks were designated as No Development Zones in the 1991 plan, but the authorities have earmarked 2,100 hectares of such land for affordable housing. The logic: these zones were not supposed to be locked away forever. Another 330 hectares of saltpan lands will be diverted from the Mumbai Port Trust’s reserves. The Aarey Colony remains a green zone, but 300 acres has been set aside for a Metro Rail car shed, a second zoo and the rehabilitation of tribals. Besides, 14.96 sq. km. of virgin land (mangroves) has been included as Natural Areas, which will be left untouched.