Mumbai can adopt Shanghai model for mass housing: Fadnavis

With the megapolis facing a massive challenge of growing population and urbanisation, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today said there is a lot to learn from Shanghai, which has been able to tackle the issue of mass housing.
"We have a lot to learn from our partner countries -- Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa. Mumbai is facing a problem of urbanisation and growing population. We have seen how Shanghai has been able to tackle the problem of mass housing and I believe we can learn from that model and implement in Mumbai to solve its problem of providing affordable housing," Fadnavis said at the concluding session of the three-days BRICS Friendship Cities Summit here.

He also said the partner countries need to share the best practises implemented by them in various fields like transport, security and mass housing among others.
Fadnavis said his government is considering roping in expertise from St Petersburg in Russia to clean up the sluggish Mithi river (in Mumbai) and make it navigable.
"Like South Africa, we are also facing the challenge of safety and security. We can therefore adopt the model being implemented by the country to combat threats to security. Similarly, there is a lot to learn from the 'Minha Casa, Minha Vida' program of Brazil to promote social housing," he added.

The chief minister further said inclusiveness is the key development of any city.
"Cities are not for the affluents or the haves of the society but for the underprivileged. Unless we integrate them in the planning process, the development of cities cannot be sustainable. There is a need for more interaction between the government and the citizens," he added.