In 2021, the Mumbai metro still has very little open space to offer its current 20,668,000 population of residents – just over 1 sq.m. per person! 
 
Imagine what can be done above the 8,54,695 sq.m. B.E.S.T.’s 29 Depots cover, to change that!

Global norms dictate at least 20 sq.m. of open or green space per urban resident to ensure good quality of life. However, recent Mumbai studies point out that a mere 1.1 sq.m. to maximum 1.28 sq.m. is available per person (2020). This is despite the fact that the civic administration added promenades, gymkhanas, forests and beaches as open spaces (2014). 
 
Where do a majority of Mumbaikars of all ages get space for their regular walking, running, jogging activities, sports skill practice and training?
 
Mumbaikars are left to walk and play in their parking lots and on the streets. Grounds are not operational during the monsoons, and over booked during wedding season making availability to grounds even more scarce, for schools, colleges, organizations (to practice inter institution and corporate matches), and even individuals to harness their skills. Sadly, they end up practicing on the beaches, or on improper surfaces, often leading to injuries. Also, the available spaces are neither appropriate nor well-maintained. Good year-round facilities are very few and very expensive.
 
Additionally, our roads have cars parked on them in almost all vicinities, leading to traffic congestion, making all travel extremely challenging and neighbourhoods overcrowded
 
Meanwhile, our bus service, B.E.S.T. has been reeling under financial losses for a long time.
 
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/brihanmumbai-electric-supply-and-transport-best-buses-municipal-commissioner-praveen-pardeshi-6294515/ Updated: March 2, 2020
 
The B.E.S.T has around 29 bus depots spread across almost all Mumbai vicinities – from Colaba to Vashi – with a total area of 8,54,695.53 sq.m. 
 
Now imagine what this space would allow! 
 
The equivalent of around 800-900 cricket nets or 17 football field (international size) or enough space to allow the global 20 sq.m. per person, to over 42,000 people at the same time! With a potential minimum 12-hours a day availability, that gives over 5,00,000 people access to all year-round, high-quality multipurpose facilities. And not just for sports players and athletes but also neighbourhood residents, your children, their schools and colleges, organizations and corporations. 
 
A self-sustainable business model can be built, to modernise these bus depots. A concrete grid structure constructed in and around the depots would allow for a few levels of parking space, and elevated roof-level, multipurpose sports and recreation facilities to make it self-sustaining. These facilities can be sub-leased to nearby schools, educational institutions, sports clubs and other organisations for physical skills development classes and sports ancillaries, as well as, serve as public recreational spaces, at reasonable charges. BEST can also generate revenue from the commercialised parking levels.
 
The BEST Depot Level Up would

• Provide year-round large green spaces in your own neighbourhood for a better quality of life and well-being.
• Offer better sport amenities and facilities for men & women – the young and the wise.
• Encourage the athlete community to flourish by eliminating previous discouraging factors.
• Revitalise and increase property prices of the neighbouring residences. 
• Create more parking spaces, to help decongest our roads, and improve commutes without stress and frustration.
• Help BEST recover their current losses and pay their employees pending pensions.
• Exponentially increase job opportunities at multiple levels, addressing current pandemic-related job losses.
• Help the government attain self-sustainable, long-lasting revenue, as well as, fulfil their basic criteria of building Smart City infrastructure for the community’s health and well-being.

Support our petition to ‘Level Up’ and ‘Green’ the B.E.S.T ‘Garage’ and make every sq. meter count
 
We request all Mumbaikars to actively support this petition and thoroughly engage in shaping its outcome. Share this dream! Encourage your families and friends to join this imperative effort! Help us create a large and fast-growing nationwide movement, to accomplish what is clearly possible – enough space for every Mumbaikar child and adult to joyfully breath, to move and to grow!
 
For further information please contact us: mumbailevelup@gmail.com