Articles by Advait Aundhkar

• Development Management Strategy for Restructuring Waterfronts of Mumbai
• Environmental Management Strategy for Lacustrine Deposits and Wetlands in Mumbai Metropolitan Region

About Advait Aundhkar

Advait Aundhkar is a freelance consultant-cum-Research Associate to local consultants in Management and Planning Projects. His consulting work involves preparation of project reports, market analysis, quantitative analysis, project analysis, financial analysis, co-ordination of public relations, providing background knowledge of the local market, etc.

He has worked for Bombay First and the Bombay City Research Foundation. Bombay First and Bombay City Research Foundation is philanthropic organization and a body of Bombay Chamber of Commerce, inspired by the concept, plans and working of London First.

He has been a Deputy Planner with the Bombay Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA). While at BMRDA, he worked on projects related to infrastructure finance, information systems environmental management and heritage conservation, transport planning and management, regional plan of MMR, guided land development and real estate analysis of Mumbai.

He specialised in Thematic Cartography and Regional Planning for his post-graduate degree. He is also a graduate of the post-graduate program in Urban and Regional Planning from School of Planning, Center for Environmental Planning and Technology, Ahmedabad.

On the academic front, he has presented Research papers/articles in different seminars/conferences on Urban and Regional Planning issues, undertake small research projects and guide Graduate students from Architecture, Planning and Social Sciences in their project works.

He is also an avid trekker, an active social worker, and a life member of WWF (World-Wide Fund for Nature), Deccan Geographical Society, Bombay Geographical Association and Associate Member, Associate member of Institute of Town Planners, India. He has also received training in International Travel, Tourism and Transportation, and has worked as a Tour-Co-ordinator in a major travel agency in Bombay.

Mumbai being instituted with an elegant architectural built environment, reflects glimpses of different era of architecture. It is utmost important that issues of restoration and conservation need to be addressed in a comprehensive manner involving all the stakeholders and residents in the area. Three areas – The mill areas of Mumbai, Waterfront areas and the Business District precincts - the future Business Improvement Districts are the contemporary heritage sites in the city which needs an urgent renewal. On the above Mumbai also needs to be converted into an International Finance and Business center as time-zone wise, Mumbai’s geographical location is almost a mid-point between important international financial centres like Tokyo and London, Frankfurt and Paris on the other. Mumbai can develop as an international financial center only if it can provide necessary, cost-effective and high quality physical and regulatory infrastructure. Major changes will have to be brought about in urban land use regulations to improve quality and availability of housing and office accommodations.