Maharashtra govt’s retail policy favours mall culture

The draft retail policy announced by the Maharashtra government is clearly in favour of the mall culture in metros like Mumbai. The state government, which has called malls an essential amenity and has proposed land to be reserved for malls in the city's development plan.

“Creating a zone for retail and recreation would ensure there is an increase in consumption and more importantly would raise the standard of well-being of citizens,” states the draft policy, adding, “large international standard malls require larger land parcels. The earmarked spaces for retail/entertainment developments would also rationalize land prices to support retail development. The policy also mentions that the government should provide retail areas with direct access to mass public transport systems to woo consumers.

The draft policy has been receiving flaks for not paying attention to basic safety rules. For instance, according to Pankaj Joshi, Executive Director, Urban Design Research Institute, the proposal, asking for allowing increased building heights and relaxing fire norms, is an indication of insensitivity to problems.

Viren Shah, President, Federation of Retail Traders and Welfare Association, has said that the ruling BJP government, while favouring malls has paid no heed to the negative impact, malls make on the livelihoods of small traders. In 2008, a committee, headed by former public works department secretary N V Merani had found several multiplexes and shopping malls in the city violating fire safety norms. The committee had surveyed 33 malls, 18 functioning and 15 under-construction ones, which had come up in Mumbai then.