Here are some recent articles on the Mumbai WTC from Times News Networks. Seems like they might build a tower anywhere between 75-120 floors, a huge convention centre and a sprawling IT park.

NTC to sell land, build a WTC in Mumbai heartland
GURBIR SINGH

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2004 12:14:18 AM ]
MUMBAI: The National Textile Corporation, which ultimately hopes to sell 17 of its mills, is looking at an integrated development scheme (IDS) that includes a 75-storey World Trade Centre and a 1.6m sq ft international software park.

This will help transform central Mumbai heartland into an international commercial hub, planners say.

NTC proposes to sell 145 acres of mill land (185 acres of FSI) and generate an additional 24 acres of TDR (transferable development rights) for sale outside the mill complexes. This amounts to nearly 9m sq ft of FSI, conservatively valued at Rs 2,600 crore.

The remodelling of 280 acres of land covering 25 NTC mills — land to be sold as well as to be acquired by public bodies for reservations — brings enough chunks of land into the planning process to transform both the character and the skyline of the core of the island city, said planners.

Central to the NTC plan, developed by Team One Architects, is a World Trade Centre in the 12-acre plot of India United No 6 Mills, off Cadell Road at Dadar, which has a over 200 metre sea frontage on the west coast.

On the same latitude to the east, is Kohinoor 1 & 2 Mills, where a gargantuan 16 lakh square feet knowledge and software park has been proposed.

The mill with its large sea front and convenient access, is ideally positioned to host a world-class convention centre, said planners. A convention centre can use twice the normal FSI (a floor space index of 2.7). The two architects Paresh Kapse and Aditya Yamsanwar have proposed a 75-storey tower accommodating 16 lakh sq ft of commercial space.

“If TDR is loaded from other NTC properties to the Cadell Road mill, we can go as high as 120 floors,” an NTC planner told ET.

NTC is simultaneously considering development of a software park as an international magnet in central Mumbai in the 22-acre property of what is today Kohinoor Mills No 1 & 2 at Dadar TT Circle.

It can be developed as an alternative to the over-crowded and inaccessible SEEPZ and create job opportunities for as many as 100,000 people, an NTC planner said.

Significantly, these projects are being considered by the NTC as joint ventures, which will maximise returns for the cash-strapped organisation. However, VK Tripathi, MD of NTC-South, one of the 9 subsidiaries that covers most of the Mumbai mills, was critical of the Maharashtra government dragging its feet over permissions and sale clearances.

“If a new state government comes, we will have to begin afresh; we are already one year behind schedule, and our interest burden is mounting,” Mr Tripathi told ET.

Industry sources blamed private mill owners and developers for slowing sale of the NTC mills to prevent a fall in prices on account of a glut of mill lands.

“Mumbai Textiles, located next to Bombay Dyeing Mills in Prabhadevi, will release 12 acres of land, but Bombay Dyeing itself is in the market with around 16 lakh sq ft of FSI,” a NTC source said.

A few mills near the Bombay harbour between Kalachowkie and Sewree will also open up near the proposed trans-harbour sea-link and offer valuable real estate for future development. Central Mumbai, starved of opens spaces and gardens, will get 21 acres from mill lands for the BMC to develop gardens and open spaces.

Under Development Control Regulation (DCR) 56 of the Mumbai Region and Town Planning Act, one-third of the surplus land is to be handed over to the MHADA and another one-third to BMC for development of public housing and open spaces, respectively.

Under the NTC plan, MHADA and the BMC will be acquiring 18 acres and 21 acres, respectively, for city development projects.

Significantly, the planning format proposed by architect Bharat Yamsanwar is to join the BMC and MHADA ‘reservations’ of all the NTC mills and offer them to the public agencies as composite plots.

For instance, New Hind Textile is being offered to MHADA for public housing, while India United No 2 & 3 are being offered to the BMC for open spaces and gardens. Both mills are in the Lalbaug region. This will give projects for open spaces and public housing more room for sensible planning.

The NTC plan also envisages the refloat of 8 viable mills covering 74 acres. There is another 6 acres of NTC property on which chawls and residential accommodation provide homes to mill workers’ families

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/852204.cms


NTC land sale to recast Mumbai
GURBIR SINGH

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2004 02:38:37 AM ]
MUMBAI: The National Textile Corporation (NTC), which hopes to sell 17 of its mills, is looking at an integrated development scheme (IDS) that includes a 75-storey World Trade Centre and a 1.6 million square feet international software park.

According to planners, the scheme will help transform the central Mumbai heartland into an international commercial hub.

NTC proposes to sell 145 acres of mill land (185 acres of FSI) and generate an additional 24 acres of TDR (transferable development rights) for sale outside the mill complexes. This amounts to nearly 9 million square feet of FSI conservatively valued at Rs 2,600 crore.

The re-modelling of 280 acres of land covering 25 NTC mills — land to be sold as well as to be acquired by public bodies for reservations — brings enough chunks of land into the planning process to transform both the character and the skyline of the core of the island city, planners feel.

Central to the NTC plan, developed by Team One Architects, is a World Trade Centre in the 12-acre plot of India United No.6 Mills off Cadell Road at Dadar, which has a over 200-meter sea frontage.



On the same latitude to the east, is Kohinoor 1 & 2 Mills where a gargantuan 16 lakh square feet knowledge and software park has been proposed.

The mill with its large seafront and convenient access, is ideally positioned to host a world class convention centre, NTC planners feel.

A convention centre can use twice the normal FSI (a floor space index of 2.66), and the two architects Paresh Kapse and Aditya Yamsanwar have proposed a 75-storey tower accommodating 16 lakh square feet of commercial space.

“If TDR is loaded from other NTC properties to the Cadell Road mill, we can go as high as 120 floors,” an NTC planner told ET.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-855140,prtpage-1.cms

kshatriya...........WTC of 75-120 stories in Mumbai heartland is exactly what we need. It will give tremendous push to mumbai skyline. 120 story WTC sounds more futuristic thinking than 75 to me.

Looks like the commercial capital is staged for a comeback. For all of those here not from Mumbai, the mill lands in central mumbai are HUGE my frnds. Redevelopment of this land would certainly change the face of Mumbai :)

I will take as many pictures as possible when I'm down there in December.

But we still need a ring road :)

Looks like the commercial capital is staged for a comeback. For all of those here not from Mumbai, the mill lands in central mumbai are HUGE my frnds. Redevelopment of this land would certainly change the face of Mumbai :)

I will take as many pictures as possible when I'm down there in December.

But we still need a ring road :)

Yes, the mill lands are huge. And there should be plenty of towers coming up in the future.

Great news!

Here's a link to the article which has designs for the WTC.Out of the 4 designs, only one mentions anything about 120 stories.
www.mid-day.com/news/city/2003/september/63204.htm

Which one do you like?

The 120 storied one would be atleast 360 metres high wouldn't it be?Or still better it could be around 420 metres.

Oh what phucking crap! In the article there are 4 "visionary" designs of the proposed building. And all of them are either direct ripoffs of existing towers, or mid-day has published BS (which I am not surprised, since it's a tabloid), to pass of existing structures as a probable Mumbai WTC. Further proof of this goofed up job is the factor, that none of the buildings in the article are more than 40-50 storeys high. That means there is incongruence even at a pre-design stage, regarding the proposed structure. India and Indians lack professionalism, and this is one more proof of that.

Ahh

These towers are nice, where are they around the world?, rip-off or not it would be nice to know where they exist?

http://www.filebox.vt.edu/users/hhoon/Pictures/wtc1.jpg

http://www.filebox.vt.edu/users/hhoon/Pictures/wtc2.jpg

http://www.filebox.vt.edu/users/hhoon/Pictures/wtc3.jpg

http://www.filebox.vt.edu/users/hhoon/Pictures/wtc4.jpg

Thanks..

Though their website says the last tower is "y-shaped", if you look closely at the render there really does seem to be a bar going across the top, connecting the two portrusions, and if that is the case (and even if it weren't the case!) it is a direct rip of Shanghai's World Financial Center. I really like the second building, with a reflective glass facade facing the sea, but the first and third are plain ugly.

http://img94.exs.cx/img94/1949/Image23.jpg

None of these designs seem to reflect the quirky but imho fun style of architecture that modern Indian design has evolved into, and that's a big pity.

...but then it is Mid-Day sayin this, so I wouldn't put too much faith in them in any case..

The "concept" presentation was just to start the ball rolling for a discussion/media attention. The architects were looking for a response to see what would be preferred - twin towers or a single tower or two towers joined together or a real tall building. The real building(s), if built, will not look like any of those. That's my understanding and I may be wrong.

I don't think the architects will release their design at such an early stage, when even the fate of the project is not sure.

Thats very relieving to hear, suncity

Any idea on what the media's concensus was? :D

Thats very relieving to hear, suncity

Any idea on what the media's concensus was? :D

No I didn't see any consensus or suggestions about the design because the political controversy of building a memorial to Babasaheb Ambedkar in the same plot, overshadowed it.

No I didn't see any consensus or suggestions about the design because the political controversy of building a memorial to Babasaheb Ambedkar in the same plot, overshadowed it.

No way!

They could put that in a million and one places why in such prime area. I'm sure even Dr. Ambedkar would think thats a retarted idea.

Is there anything historical about the spot related to Dr. Ambedkarji?

If not, Ubermensch is right, its insane that this should even be an issue.

i like the second picture.


lets hope for a unique WTC and not a rip-off ;)

I think there is a memorial adjacent to the plot. The state government wanted to expand it. I cannot find the articles which were published in Indian Express a couple of months back. They were self explanatory. If I find the articles I will PM them to you.

ok thnxs:)

btw, happy navratri to you all:)

Oh yeah I completely forgot about tht article on Mid Day last year! Thanx for posting it Indian. Yes me thinks the second one is the best of the lot, but still is a common design, nothing unique. And yes happy navaratri to everyone.

No I didn't see any consensus or suggestions about the design because the political controversy of building a memorial to Babasaheb Ambedkar in the same plot, overshadowed it.
That article you posted, citing the political controversy, was older than these posted here, so still is a mystery what happened to the memorial plans. Wish we had more information.

Though their website says the last tower is "y-shaped", if you look closely at the render there really does seem to be a bar going across the top, connecting the two portrusions, and if that is the case (and even if it weren't the case!) it is a direct rip of Shanghai's World Financial Center. I really like the second building, with a reflective glass facade facing the sea, but the first and third are plain ugly.

http://img94.exs.cx/img94/1949/Image23.jpg

None of these designs seem to reflect the quirky but imho fun style of architecture that modern Indian design has evolved into, and that's a big pity.

...but then it is Mid-Day sayin this, so I wouldn't put too much faith in them in any case..

http://www.saudi-un-ny.org/kingdom%20center.jpg

http://www.scheidler.org/ksa/riyadh/pics/kingdom-center.jpg


This skyscraper is KINGDOM CENTER, RIYADH. Its been there for a while. Shanghai World financial Center could actually be a rip off of the kingdom center.

Lots of people seem to have a misconception about Mumbai(and other Indian cities) and Its hirises. Many people seem to be comparing it to cities like Shanghai, HK and the like and saying that Mumbai does not measure up. So I guess an explanation is order.

First of all Lets try to figure out what people percieve to be a beautiful skyscraper.

The western Idea of a modern structure is a Symmetrical building that looks like a Block of aluminum and Glass. Shanghai, HK and other great cities are amazing examples of this kind of architecture.

However in india Mumbai(and in India in general) There is a severe aversion of these kind of buildings.
Here is an examples of these kind of buildings In india
http://www.bengalweb.com/skyline/mumbai/essart.jpghttp://www.bengalweb.com/skyline/delhi/ifci.jpg

Most people consider these buildings to be eyesore. And while most indians admire this architecture most do no want to look at them from their window first thing in the morning. Most people consider them to be museum pieces too cold to live in. Heres the reason. If you have ever been to india or know its history you will realise that Indians do things uniquely. Most of the world takes the western standard to be "Beautiful" Thus Hong kong, Shanghai Beijing will be right at home as satellite cities of NY or Chicago. India however has had a long history of architecture and nothing in india's traditional architecture mimic's the Alluminium block style of a modern skyscraper.
Most Hirises In Mumbai are residential So they are actually condos. People In mumbai may live in the sky but it is considered essential for homes to have a balcony. So Many indian skyscrapers seem porous and serrated. It is an absolute must that windows open and fresh air be let into the house so a building will have have openable windows for this reason buildings are built with their windows recessed.

People in india buy one house/condo in their lives that actually gets passed on to the next generation. So people want their homes/condos to be like pieces of art so architects are hard press to create a building that is unique in the world. and Most Indian Buildings look cool to Indians but is ofcourse incompatible with outsiders view. There are many other reasons but mainly most indian buildings are designed by Indian architects so they are uniquely indian(extravagant and decadent looking)

http://www.detroitdesi.com/Architecture/Mumbai/1/LokMalhar2.jpg

http://www.detroitdesi.com/Architecture/Mumbai/1/Crown.jpeg

Tallest buildings in india(under construction) SD Twin Towers(below) As you can see this is a true skyscraper but unlike a traditional skyscraper If you notice it has the claustrophobic look of traditional Indian architecture( which BTW has a complete lack of plain walls which are usually decked with windows or carvings)


http://www.shapoorji.com/60_strories_big.jpg

Other much loved buildings

http://www.detroitdesi.com/Architecture/Mumbai/1/PadmavatiHeights2.jpg
http://www.bengalweb.com/skyline/mumbai/belvedere-kalpataru.jpg
http://www.bengalweb.com/skyline/mumbai/kalpataruheights-day.jpghttp://www.bengalweb.com/skyline/mumbai/mahindraheights1.jpg

I think most of the world in its mad rush for urbanization has adopted too much of a western look. India has a continuos history of over 6 millennia. And india's current architecture reflects its people and culture vibrant, colorful and very muddled., We are not a Homogeneous people so why should our buildings be. Nothing In india's 10,000 year history looks like a blocks of glass. Indian architects were trained in india and developed a unique style with virtually no western influence.

When I look at Shanghai, Beijing etc I fail to see China's people. The skyscrapers are poster child of Western design ideals. China Has a history as long as India's and its people are as unique so why not unique ideas for chinese buildings. Im Sure these asian cities have unique buildings but the architectural style is distinctly western. Of course this is because most of the buildings house western firms which would prefer western design ideals. While indian buildings are occupied by Indians who have complete influence over the building. Actually many of India's newer design ideals go back to traditional design ideals Heres a unique design idea that has yet to materialize.
http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/790/1016centre_of_india.jpg

Heres another building Notice the unique indian temple like structures near the entrances.
http://www.detroitdesi.com/Architecture/Mumbai/2/TaraporwalaMansion.jpg

Most of Mumbai's architucture(existing) is art deco and indo-victorian so new buildings maintain that but add their own twists.

In the next 20 years I can fully expect that most Word cities will look more and more similar.(look at HK, Singapore, Shanghai, Seoul etc they look remarkably alike if not for their unique setting) But Mumbai will shine as a rebel with a unique skyline recognizable instantly. The Skyline will reflect the Indian people. If someone visits Mumbai Its city scape feels in sync with its poeple A place like HK would make and indian and anyone familiar with indian culture out of place.

Hope this shines light on Mumbai and modern Indian architecture In general.

You do have some points, I agree that some of the residential buildings combining traditional elements like domes and minarets with modern architecture are truly superb, but many buildings are also designed in greed, with no regard for design and using lousy colours etc. (thankfully, this is fast dissappearing) The reason Mumbai doesn't have any tall glassy blocks is because of stupid old laws (height restrictions, FSI etc). I think you will begin to see such towers in Mumbai too in the near future. I don't see all Chinese cities as poster childs of 'western architecture'. And that too is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact Shanghai does look spectacular and futuristic, and some buildings like Jin Mao Tower, and Taipei 101 also have heavy traditional elements. Coming back to Mumbai, yes very true about balconies etc. but even this can be done aesthetically. Some buildings really look horrible on the outside, because Indians are more than happy as long as the interiors of their homes are pretty. Both the customers and the builders don't pay attention to exterior aesthetics, somewhat like how Indians keep their own homes clean and tidy, but litter in public areas. :) But yes there is noticable change in this too, and most of the new buildings look atleast decent. India definitely will come out with it's own unique style, when it starts building supertall skylines. :)

:?

I am not sure what you are trying to say here. I don't think that "the western Idea of a modern structure is a Symmetrical building that looks like a Block of aluminum and Glass"! Man, there are so many thousands of examples of fine (modern) western architecture all over the world!

And I find some of China's modern towers simply amazing.

As for Mumbai's new architecture there is nothing very unique about them. Yes I like them because the new buildings are nicer than the ugly seventies but there are thousands of similar nice towers all over the world.

Mumbai is no "rebel" city. It has always been a western looking city in India. It did lose steam because of its own success. But things seem to be looking up. Ten years from now (if things go okay) it will probably look like any other modern international metropolis. Remember Mumbai's selling point always has been that it is cosmopolitan, liberal and westernized with Indian roots.

I do see the uniqueness of Indian architecture. But as Suncity had mentioned above, to summarize the entire western modern architecture in one sentence is impossible. For example US's "modern" scrapers are as much different from China's as China's are different from India's. Indian "modern" architecture is actually in a way western, since skyscraper itself is western anyways. But to be frank, some of the skyscrapers in India, even some of them you showed above, are unique, but kinda tacky. It's those ones that become eyesores. But on the other side, I don't see any country without those type of buildings.

First skyscrapers were actually built in Yemen.

First skyscrapers were actually built in Yemen.

Can you substantiate that claim? :)

Mumbai makeover: Record 6,000 shanties flattened in a day, next in line, illegal ‘well-off’

Deshmukh says visible change in 6 months. ‘Every CM likes to be remembered, I’m no exception.’

http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=61510

Mumbai makeover: Record 6,000 shanties flattened in a day, next in line, illegal ‘well-off’

Deshmukh says visible change in 6 months. ‘Every CM likes to be remembered, I’m no exception.’

http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=61510

I haven't read many stories, in relation to how slum-dwellers have been resettled or moved into flats. Can anyone on this thread, give me a link to a story on this subject please?

Not sure what to make of the story, of over 6,000 shanties being flattened.

Would like to know, if there are similar shanties being flattened in other metro and non-metro cities?

I haven't read many stories, in relation to how slum-dwellers have been resettled or moved into flats. Can anyone on this thread, give me a link to a story on this subject please?
Not sure what to make of the story, of over 6,000 shanties being flattened.
Would like to know, if there are similar shanties being flattened in other metro and non-metro cities?

There should not be any question of rehab since these are all illegal slums. One wouldn't want to encourage slum proliferation and such illegal activities by rewarding them with alternate housing provisions. But you never know what turn vote bank politics may take.

I like this guy RR Patil, wish we had more politicians like him.

:bash:

Tsunami pushes back Mumbai revival plan

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 5: An overburdened transport system, choked roads, mushrooming slums, enroachments around the airport, lack of affordable housing, a declining economy — that’s Mumbai for you, as described by the Maharashtra government. But the Planning Commission willing, Mumbai might soon get a facelift.

That the Planning Commission is still sitting on the revival package — dubbed ‘‘Vision Mumbai’’ — is due to the cost, pegged at not less than Rs 40,000 crore. Had the tsunami not devastated the eastern coast, the project would have got rolling by now. Now, the next meeting has been deferred till the tsunami crisis is over.

The Maharashtra Government already has the blueprint ready — though the Planning Commission and the Urban Development Ministry, which will part-own the project from the Central end, are still trying to figure out from where to raise the funds.

Shanghai, the Maharashtra Government’s new task force report points out, was once ‘‘dimly lit, unpainted and financial wreck in 1987, but today it is one of the fastest growing cities’’.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has just submitted a Metro Master Plan for Greater Mumbai. The 146.5-km metro will connect Charkop to Colaba (via Bandra), Versova to Ghatkopar (via Andheri), and Bandra to Mankhurd (via Kurla), and will cost Rs 19,525 crore.

Next in the pipeline, is a high-speed elevated roadway — 15-km corridor — connecting the densely-populated western and eastern suburbs to two important railway stations (Western and Central). The only hitch is that the project has a Rs 450-crore viability gap. However, the state government is making the land available to woo private players, plus 70 pc equity is up for grabs.

Mumbai’s local train network — literally the city’s lifeline — will be revamped in two-phases. High-speed train and fast-tracks would cost no less than Rs 7,000 crore. Its urban infrastructure too would be overhauled: With high-capacity bus corridors, elevated roads, tunnel below Juhu airport, improved road network, flyovers and overbridges, the city is set to look smarter.

And, finally a 22-km sea corridor — the Rs 4,000-crore Western Freeway Sea Link — will run from Bandra to Worli, Worli to Nariman Point and Cuff Parade. And a harbour link to connect Mumbai with Navi Mumbai is also on the cards. But post-tsunami, Mumbai’s slum relocation along the Coastal Regulation Zone may come unstuck.

http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=62166

:bash: Tsunami pushes back Mumbai revival plan


Dude looks like this city is jinxed. For so many years we had rival parties running the State and Center. And now when there is this sweet unison and the govt structure finally seemed to overcome its lethargy and do something for a change, Tsunami has given them the excuse to sleep for another 5 years. God bless Mumbai.

Dude looks like this city is jinxed. For so many years we had rival parties running the State and Center. And now when there is this sweet unison and the govt structure finally seemed to overcome its lethargy and do something for a change, Tsunami has given them the excuse to sleep for another 5 years. God bless Mumbai.

trust me dude, nothing is going to stop the deputy CM Patil on this drive, he's going to clear out the slums, Tsunami or no Tsunami.

trust me dude, nothing is going to stop the deputy CM Patil on this drive, he's going to clear out the slums, Tsunami or no Tsunami.

have you seen the slum demolition in full action ubermensch?

have you seen the slum demolition in full action ubermensch?

Yeah i saw some of it at Colaba, its in the news everyday, next is illegal structures, should be interesting. The slum demolition drive will continue.

Yeah i saw some of it at Colaba, its in the news everyday, next is illegal structures, should be interesting. The slum demolition drive will continue.

well the chief minister really means some serious bussiness then.

This Patil guy hould be the man of the year.

Another saddening article, Mumbai airport seems to be on the receiving end this time:

Mumbai airport may hit air pocket
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/984457.cms

It is really surprising and horrifying to see how a few thousand slums are holding the city to ransom by literally coming in the way of economic prosperity of the airport. I commercially attractive airport would bring huge revenues to the city by acting as an international hub between SE Asia and Europe, the honors of which currently goes to Dubai and other Gulf airports. Its time the govt realises that socialism and vote bank politics is not going to take us far. These slum freaks have become like plague threatening the very survival of the city. God really bless Mumbai.

I think the main point all of us rich, mainly NRI well-bred Indians are missing is that slums dont exist because people want to live in them and create problems for us city folks, but because they have no alternative.

I think there should be a change in the tone we speak. Sure we get frustrated with the lack of movement of plans, but we must keep in mind the idea is to give the slum dwellers a semblence of planned city life, and not to swat them away like flies.

What we should swat away like flies are the politicians who have let things come to this with their narrow vision and selfish deeds.

Of course in the long run the plan is to generate wealth in the villages so that our rural breathren live a decent honorable life without having to move to the big city. But till that happens, lets please be a little more empathetic.

Another saddening article, Mumbai airport seems to be on the receiving end this time:

Mumbai airport may hit air pocket
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/984457.cms

It is really surprising and horrifying to see how a few thousand slums are holding the city to ransom by literally coming in the way of economic prosperity of the airport. I commercially attractive airport would bring huge revenues to the city by acting as an international hub between SE Asia and Europe, the honors of which currently goes to Dubai and other Gulf airports. Its time the govt realises that socialism and vote bank politics is not going to take us far. These slum freaks have become like plague threatening the very survival of the city. God really bless Mumbai.

That article reeks of political pressure. Removing a few thousand slums and rehabilitating them is not a big task. But nobody wants to do it. Obviously you have political power play going on here.

The people who really should be punished are the slum lords, politicians and govt officers who helped build the slums to capture government land. We should sympathize with the slum dwellers.

I think the main point all of us rich, mainly NRI well-bred Indians are missing is that slums dont exist because people want to live in them and create problems for us city folks, but because they have no alternative.

I think there should be a change in the tone we speak. Sure we get frustrated with the lack of movement of plans, but we must keep in mind the idea is to give the slum dwellers a semblence of planned city life, and not to swat them away like flies.

What we should swat away like flies are the politicians who have let things come to this with their narrow vision and selfish deeds.

Of course in the long run the plan is to generate wealth in the villages so that our rural breathren live a decent honorable life without having to move to the big city. But till that happens, lets please be a little more empathetic.

Very true

What has held India back over the years has been our lefty utopian way of thinking that has been prevelant during the last 100 years. This way of thinking cost us a third of our land in partition, it cost us the war in the 60's with the Chinese, and if we dont snap out of it, it will cost us economic prosperity too!!! Remember these slums are illegal! It would'nt be tolerated in NYC or London, so why do we tolerate it in Mumbai! I understand that there is poverty, but these people need to help Manmahon Singh and Abdul Kalam in imporving the rural areas from which they orginate. Begging and squating in Mumbai doesnt help anyone!

Well my take is that slums should not be allowed to remain, but they can't jsut go on a 'demolition drive' and throw these people out. They have done all the 'dirty' work no one else would be willing to do. They have built the roads, the flyovers, they have laid the pipelines, they clean the drains, etc. and when they are done with their job, they try and look for other income. Not all slum dwellers are beggars, they earn and live with dignity too. A slum action plan should happen where these people are also told about the strain on the city, make them understand! At the same time they should be treated justly and humanely. Rehabilitation is really not a problem. It just requires babus to work, and of course they want their vote banks intact. And the best poll promise they could give these people was regularization! Damn these SOBs to hell! They are the ones we should evict and jail first! Then we'll see about the rest....:evil:

Kshatriya, thats exactly the attitude that needs to be hammered into the leadership's head. If we can build a decent planned township for these people, it wont be hard to relocate these people. There have been instances when the slum populations have come together to improve their lives.

And we have an example of the entrepreneurial skills of these people when Dharavi exports a billion dollars worth of goods every year.

In the end, like you said, it just requires our netas and babus to work.

Liquid, when i say we need to look for alternatives for the slum dwellers instead of just demolishing slums and chasing them away, it is not a 'lefty utopian way.' Where are you going to chase them away? and on what charges? Like its being said, they dont need to be chased away like cattle, they need a better alternative, and much of the responsibility falls on the State.

This country was not built by elitists for their own comfort, this country was built for everyone, and the people who toil to clean your streets and drive the taxis have as much right to the city as you.

If you are an NRI, maybe whichever country you are in should send you back to help Dr. Manmohan Singh and Dr. Kalam build a better India from which you originate. That doesnt sound right, does it?

By the way, what cost us the '62 war was nehru's belief that the Chinese were friends and would remain so. While he was still glum with Panchsheel, there was war.

Look, I am glad that we are out of socialist mindset, but you are linking a totally different reason to the war.

And you are saying the lefty utopian mindset cost us our land in partition? i'd like some instances of that.

Well my take is that slums should not be allowed to remain, but they can't jsut go on a 'demolition drive' and throw these people out. They have done all the 'dirty' work no one else would be willing to do. They have built the roads, the flyovers, they have laid the pipelines, they clean the drains, etc. and when they are done with their job, they try and look for other income. Not all slum dwellers are beggars, they earn and live with dignity too. A slum action plan should happen where these people are also told about the strain on the city, make them understand! At the same time they should be treated justly and humanely. Rehabilitation is really not a problem. It just requires babus to work, and of course they want their vote banks intact. And the best poll promise they could give these people was regularization! Damn these SOBs to hell! They are the ones we should evict and jail first! Then we'll see about the rest....:evil:


to get rid of these stupid babus and other corrupted folk the following should be done:

Organise a military group who is fighting against the corruption. Kidnap the babus, tell them why they are kidnapped to the public and ask money. It is ofcourse advisable too first kidnap some guy in a high post wo is higly corrupted, i am thinking of a guy who's name starts with and L and ends with aloo prasaad. Of course the government will pay the ransom to safe just one foolish guy, but before returning him we should bruise him, break his leg (and more), let him feel it, so that he will become a nice boy!! After this babus will get afraid and start working properly. And if the message doesnt get trough, we should kidnap more lazy babus, and give them boothcamp!!!! :)

^^^Even I was thinking about that. Actually that's what happened in the Tamil movie 'King' *ing Vikram(he is cool) and the movie 'Ramana' *ing Vijaykanth(his best movie in a long time). I wish it could happen for real.

Kshatriya and Kronik, where as I agree with your idea of being compassionate for the less-fortunate, we have to draw a line somewhere or we would just weaken the case for a planned development of our potential cities. If these families have been staying in those slums for years, they should have been wise enough to realise that it is govt land, its illegal to stay there and they would have to vacate it someday rather than wait to be thrown out. Obviously its not wisodm, its greed. These people have been working in Mumbai, staying in those slums for pennies and producing n number of kids thereby making it worse for everybody including themselves. And what baffles me the most is that a good number of these guys are very well to do and yet they don't want to move out because they expect a govt largesse in terms of free houses. Who wouldn't want to stay for free/cheap, hell I would love too. And speaking about providing accomodation to people who have done our city's lowly and meanial jobs, if they are willing to get off their asses and commute 2 hrs to the far-off suburbs they will get decent housings at a tenth of what it costs in Mumbai. We did that in 70s and 80s. They have been there illegally for years, saved a lot; they are ok to do now and should move out. Stinginess and slum proliferation shouldn't be an option.

And worst of all if everyone in India who cannot afford a proper house comes to Mumbai and starts living in slums on encroached govt land, you can very well imagine the situation. Financial responsibility should be part of having big city aspirations. We don't want to encourage land enchroachment and such illegal activities by rewarding them with alternate accomodations and regularisations. These people become a drain on the already creaking infra because of their unwillingness to contribute to the city coffers by not paying property taxes, let alone the endless litters of human calls on roads, grounds and railway tracks. Suncity, whereas the slum lords and supporting netas should definately be punished, the slum dwellers have been accomplice in illegal encroachments and should not be spared. Without a demand there would be no supply, why let go of one.

Its only fair that these people pay a price because they have stayed illegally; they have had it too good for too long. That is as far leftist and socialist one can get. Let everyone realise whats the cost of starting a family, raising a family and increasing family size. Endless subsidies and socialist attitudes have not done any good for 57 years and will never do. Let this be a lesson for every one who wants to take our cities and govt for a ride.

Ill tell u why the 'left utopian way' of thinking contributed towards partition! Whatever your history text books may have taught you in India are just manipulated and glorified to correlate with Congress interests. Self proclaimed 'utopians', like Nehru and Gandhi had numerous opportunites to make comprimises with people like Jinnah and Liquat Ali Khan in the Muslim League during the 1940's, about making an 'autonomous' not 'independent' Muslim India, but rejected that chance in the opnion it was pure Secularism or nothing! I know all Indians from India like to blame the British for Partition. But at the end of the day you've got to look at people like Gandhi, whom despite spearheading the movement towards independence, was not strong enough in the face of supressing minority factions whom didnt even have majority muslim backing!

Even though i may seem like a heartless so and so. I do geniunely appriecate the problems that face the poor in Indias biggest cities. Like youve said they are vital to the cities economy, in building roads etc. But the problem in building cheap but permanent accomodation for such people, which i think you are hinting at?? will not solve the problem, but instead encourage more rural to urban migration, knowing that the govt will provide them good housing, thus leading to even more overcrowding!

Jai Hind!

Ill tell u why the 'left utopian way' of thinking contributed towards partition! Whatever your history text books may have taught you in India are just manipulated and glorified to correlate with Congress interests. Self proclaimed 'utopians', like Nehru and Gandhi had numerous opportunites to make comprimises with people like Jinnah and Liquat Ali Khan in the Muslim League during the 1940's, about making an 'autonomous' not 'independent' Muslim India, but rejected that chance in the opnion it was pure Secularism or nothing! I know all Indians from India like to blame the British for Partition. But at the end of the day you've got to look at people like Gandhi, whom despite spearheading the movement towards independence, was not strong enough in the face of supressing minority factions whom didnt even have majority muslim backing!

Couldnt agree with you less about the textbook issues, when the BJP was in power they messed around with our textbooks but didnt change the Gandhi or Nehru account much. Also, most unbaised, internation accounts of partition seem to suggest that our textbooks account is mostly correct. Think you need to check yr source buddy.

Ill tell u why the 'left utopian way' of thinking contributed towards partition! Whatever your history text books may have taught you in India are just manipulated and glorified to correlate with Congress interests. Self proclaimed 'utopians', like Nehru and Gandhi had numerous opportunites to make comprimises with people like Jinnah and Liquat Ali Khan in the Muslim League during the 1940's, about making an 'autonomous' not 'independent' Muslim India, but rejected that chance in the opnion it was pure Secularism or nothing! I know all Indians from India like to blame the British for Partition. But at the end of the day you've got to look at people like Gandhi, whom despite spearheading the movement towards independence, was not strong enough in the face of supressing minority factions whom didnt even have majority muslim backing!


Here are my thoughts:

I doubt that the Congress is "glorified" in history text books. They do get a major share in the independence movement accounts because they were numerically the biggest and led the movement.

And partition is now done. Thoughts about what could have happened in 1947 are immaterial now. That chapter is closed. We can of course learn from history. And history tells us the dominance of religion in politics is not good for people. That's what lead to partition.

That's why the decision to be secular was always the right choice for India.

Secularism and Democracy are two of the major points why India has survived as a nation despite being multi ethic and multi cultural. And it has only grown stronger.

Now it is the duty of every government to uphold that decision to be secular and democratic. If they fail to do so they are not serving the Indian nation. For India to move forward we have to include all in it's progress.

Even though i may seem like a heartless so and so. I do geniunely appriecate the problems that face the poor in Indias biggest cities. Like youve said they are vital to the cities economy, in building roads etc. But the problem in building cheap but permanent accomodation for such people, which i think you are hinting at?? will not solve the problem, but instead encourage more rural to urban migration, knowing that the govt will provide them good housing, thus leading to even more overcrowding!

Perfection! And if people still want to migrate let them take care of their housing needs as per city corporation guidelines and not just pile up on govt land. India is not a welfare state. At a time when thousands of children have died of hunger and malnutritution in a rich state like Maharashtra, why should slum dwellers be provided alternate housing at Govt expenses. We need to get our priorities right and put our money in creating national assets whereby each and everyone stands to benefit and not on populist measures.

Ill tell u why the 'left utopian way' of thinking contributed towards partition! Whatever your history text books may have taught you in India are just manipulated and glorified to correlate with Congress interests. Self proclaimed 'utopians', like Nehru and Gandhi had numerous opportunites to make comprimises with people like Jinnah and Liquat Ali Khan in the Muslim League during the 1940's, about making an 'autonomous' not 'independent' Muslim India, but rejected that chance in the opnion it was pure Secularism or nothing! I know all Indians from India like to blame the British for Partition. But at the end of the day you've got to look at people like Gandhi, whom despite spearheading the movement towards independence, was not strong enough in the face of supressing minority factions whom didnt even have majority muslim backing!


Liquid, I am not denying any of this. I know too that it was the soft stand of Nehru and Gandhi ji which has cost us a lot. I am just as miffed at our stances at that time as you are.

But when you say left utopian way, i am assuming you are talking about the socialist economic policies because thats what the discussion was on, and i am still trying to link the soft political stance of Nehru and Gandhi to those socialist policies. What Nehru did right was invest in the temples of modern India which have held us in good stead.

But i am glad that Pakistan is now a seperate state and not an autonomous body. It works out for them and it works out for us. I wouldn't want my nation to have two parts, one where religion takes center stage while the other lives with democracy and secularism.

And looking at where the two States are today, I am glad we chose equality over religion.

Gyration, every democracy by definition is a welfare state.

What is a welfare state?

The welfare state (http://www2.rgu.ac.uk/publicpolicy/introduction/wstate.htm)

The idea of the "welfare state" means different things in different countries.

An ideal model. The "welfare state" usually refers to an ideal model of provision, where the state accepts responsibility for the provision of comprehensive and universal welfare for its citizens.

State welfare. Some commentators use it to mean "welfare provided by the state". This is the main use in the USA.

Social protection. In many "welfare states", social protection is not delivered by the state at all, but by a combination of independent, voluntary and government services. These countries are still usually thought of as "welfare states".

_____________________________

India - A Welfare State (http://www.hcidhaka.org/indinfo/state.html)

Though we may have different political view points, one thing this forum has is a bunch of people that love India, and want the best for their country and its citizens. It is patriotism that other nations can only dream of.

Kronik, whatever definition of welfare state you choose, nothing applies to India, and certainly not the idea of free housing as a welfare scheme. So why should 0.001% of people (who are on the wrong side of law) get lucky. On one hand we let the weakest and most vulnerable section of society, children and poor, die of hunger and lack of adequate healthcare, water, sanitation etc how do we justify encroached land slum rehabilitation at state expenses. We are not economically capable of that. And neither should it be a priority because it sends out the wrong message.
I don't want to spoil the decorum of the forum so I'll shut up after this; but the idea just irks me man!

I dont think anyone who frequently posts in this forum including myslef will not be stupid enough to be a socialist or even a leftist. That being said, a 'tough' decission solution as said by Liquid is not at all practical since India is a country where every person has one vote each, and the majority of us are poor. Only practical solution for this problem is the obivious that is a forced relocation with proper compensation in govt's expense. I agree, it is not the wisest thing to do but in a demorcacy political correctness will override any other senses. Wether one like it or not that is the reality of living in a democracy and it is in everybody's interest that we discuss what is practical? instead of what is the best way? in an issue like this.

well if someone asks me if India is a welfare state i would say yes and no.

Yes in that way the owership of PSU which is huge and no in that way that the state cant take care of its people buy giving them good health services and very few get actually free health,good family planing,social engineering,social housing.

India has never adopted any kind of familiy policy of social planing. The effect of social negligence can be viewed today.

If some of you are intrested on how to engineer a good welfare state then Sweden is a good example.Thanks to Alva Myrdal who was the architect of the swedish model we now have the living standard today.

Mostly people of right-wing view see welfare state as "socialism",me personally see it as a common sense. I do favor social engineering for India.
But for India it will take ages to adopt that kind of policy like free health,child allowance,school allowance,free education for all.And even if it adopts a system like that it will be a massive project the country has ever seen.

India is a welfare state like every other democracy. The Government is responsible for healthcare, infrastructure planning, education, citizens rights, and the fact is not that India is not a welfare state, but that India is having a difficult time performing those services.

That being said, it is important for us as citizens to realize that our role in this setup is just as important and it has to be a quid pro quo arrangement,one part of which is learning to pay for what we get.

Gyration, nobody here wants the government to construct free houses for the slum dwellers to move into.
a planned alternative for them instead of just demolishing the slums and shooing them away should be adopted and charged for.

I found this nice article, Mumbai slum dwellers’ sewage project goes nationwide (http://www.scielosp.org/pdf/bwho/v80n8/v80n8a15.pdf), and its from the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 2002, so slightly dated.

Mumbai’s 6.7 million slum dwellers, for
whom toilets are seen as a luxury, are
ushering in a quiet sanitation revolution.
They are building, planning and managing
their own community toilets, in a
2 billion rupee (US$ 40 million) project
supported by a World Bank loan to the
federal government. The project covers
around a quarter of the slums. All agree
it could become a turning point in the
city’s development.
In the Ganesh Murthy Nagar slum
in the Colaba district, women have taken
the initiative to form a society for
managing their two-storey toilet block,
now under construction. According
to Padma Adhikari, a member of the
community, ‘‘We had one small, smelly
toilet for a population of 10 000.Women
suffered the most because they had to
relieve themselves in the open, and
could do so only in the early mornings
or after dark.’’
Slum societies have appointed
caretakers, who will live with their
families in an airy room on the second
storey. The room extends onto a terrace,
which holds a huge water tank, and
even provides space for community
meetings.
Across Mumbai, shanty dwellers are
enthusiastically demanding these new
toilets, and are taking responsibility for
building and managing them. A visit
to some of these slums revealed a
remarkable change in attitude on the part
both of the residents and of the civic
authorities.

‘‘The commitment of Mumbai’s
slum communities to this cause of
sanitation can be gauged from the fact
that they have raised Rs 10 million
(US$ 200 000) for the creation of a
maintenance fund to manage 320 new
community toilet blocks,’’ said Arputham
Jockin, president of the National
Slum Dwellers’ Federation. The
Federation is working closely with
SPARC in this project.
Every adult has to make a one-time
deposit of Rs 100 (US$ 2) towards the
maintenance fund. If a family consists
of more than five adults, it has to pay
up to Rs 500 (US$ 10). The money
is placed in a bank account, jointly
managed by a BMC official and the slum
society, and is earmarked to cover future
repair costs.

I agree Kronik, things are happening, but only as isolated activities. Whereas you talk from what you read, I talk from what I have seen. Some of the pay and use toilets have become as bad as open-air toilets for want to maintenance. Hills which used to be lush green in monsoon have now been swarmed with slums and property prices of surrounding areas which used greenery as selling point have plummeted. I can confidently say that slums have grown by nearly 20-25% in Mumbai in the last 3 years. And things will only worsen if the govt keeps on having a soft stand.

I am totally with you on the need of the Government to grow some balls and take some tough, but critical, decisions.

All i am saying is that treating the slum dwellers as cattle should be avoided.

I agree Kronik, things are happening, but only as isolated activities. Whereas you talk from what you read, I talk from what I have seen. Some of the pay and use toilets have become as bad as open-air toilets for want of maintenance. These schemes have been around for years and are not working. Hills which used to be lush green in monsoon have now been swarmed with slums. I can confidently say that slums have grown by nearly 20-25% in Mumbai in the last 3 years. And things will only worsen if the govt keeps on having a soft stand. When do we stop allowing slums to proliferate. 300 families are moving into Mumbai everyday as per some estimates. Going by your argument we will need to create a separate dept for looking into alternatives for these people. And how many of these people can/will pay for it is anybody's guess. A bare minimum housing in Mumbai will cost 5 lakhs. As a sequel govt will need to finance these. And recover .. and losses .. and scheme closures. And the viscious circle continues .. welcome to Shanghais and Dubais of India. These are not special people, why the special treatment. Anyway, problems are plenty and solutions are not really simple. You think they would work, I think they would create chaos.

BTW where do you get this from - "India is a welfare state like every other democracy". If a country lets its children and elderly beg for their next meal and let them sleep empty stomach its not a welfare state. What country doesn't build roads and infrastructure? Even Somalia would.

Go ahead, Mumbai (http://http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=62555)

The present demolition drive should be followed up with important changes in the law

^^^ It is good to see that they are not just targetting the poor people, but also the rich who abuse the law. That is one of the major problems with India. Ameer log go free even after mistakes while aam-janata is caught even if they commit to small mistakes. The RR Patil is so cool.

Parts of SP leader's Mumbai eatery razed (http://http://us.rediff.com/news/2005/jan/11mum.htm)

^^^^^ yay, I am so happy, nobody is above the law. Usually, when these netas guys do something wrong, they usually escape. Ab lagta hai India ka kuch hoga. I have never been happier in my life b4.

uh oh, brace yourself for the stench everyone! Here it comes.......

Cong, NCP lock horns over Mumbai slums (http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage.php?storyflag=y&leftnm=lmnu2&leftindx=2&lselect=1&chklogin=N&autono=178021)

Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, in a three-pronged strategy, has set his party on a collision course with the NCP by demolishing more than 50,000 hutments in the city that were constructed after the January 1, 1995 deadline.

For this demolition drive to be undertaken, a massive police force had to be deployed. This is despite the NCP being against demolishing slums that it sees as a potential votebank for making inroads in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

A piqued Deputy Chief Minister RR Patil of the NCP, to counter the slum demolition drive, ordered civic chief Johnny Joseph to provide him with a list of illegal constructions in the city made by the affluent class. A week after the list failed to materialise, Patil threatened to withdraw the police force (he is the state home minister) from the ongoing slum demolition programme.

Last heard, a few restaurateurs and builders were at the receiving end of the civic demolition squad's razing efforts. The most prominent being the Samajwadi Party (SP) state president Abu Azmi's rooftop restaurant in south Mumbai.

Some Shiv Sena corporators enjoy tremendous groundswell in the slum belts across the city. The party can expect to face the ire of slum dwellers because of the demolition plan and its prospects in the forthcoming civic elections can be affected.

The NCP, which in recent times has been trying to woo the slum dwellers who were upset with Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's stand against regularising hutments illegally erected post January 1, 1995, is now at loss of words as it is part of the government that is effecting the demolitions.

The Shiv Sena, on the other hand, can neither capitalise on the ongoing demolitions since the Congress is undertaking this clean-up act, nor can it object to it as Thackeray has been a strong votary of the 1995 deadline.



So you see, the NCP is demolishing the structures owned by the rich in response to the slum demolition by the Congress.
Ah, Indian politics. Manages to leave me speechless after all these years. :puke:

Manmohan Singh's Dreamplan to turn Bombay into Shanghai (http://specials.rediff.com/news/2005/jan/14sld1.htm)

I think the Indian media is going on an overdrive with the "Mumbai Shanghai" nonsense. I don't see what MMS's speech has got to do with Mr Patil's plans. And I doubt MMS ordered the slum clearance plan.

The two are completely unrelated. By going on repeating the "Mumbai Shanghai" phrase the Indian media is just creating a "controversy" where there was none to begin with.

The real issue of slum dwellers somehow gets less attention than this stupid catch phrase.

Does anyone know... do the slum clearing authorities allow slum dwellers to vacate their possessions from the property before the tentaments get demolished?

Manmohan Singh's Dreamplan to turn Bombay into Shanghai (http://specials.rediff.com/news/2005/jan/14sld1.htm)

Oh I am sorry, i posted some of the pictures from the same in the Mumbai update section. didnt know you had posted the link here.

Too many "activists", "panels" and "public controversies"?

The Maharashtra government has decided to set up a high power committee to examine the development of the island city in the context of the sell-off and redevelopment of land belonging to National Textile Corporation (NTC) and other private mills.

A public controversy was triggered after eminent architect Charles Correa, former municipal commissioner Jamshed Kanga and others recently approached Congress president Sonia Gandhi and wrote to Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh complaining that the mill development norms in the city were causing over-crowding, haphazard planning, and killing open spaces.

As a backlash of this controversy, the first phase of NTC’s auction of 5 mill lands seems to have ground to a halt. The files awaiting Union textile minister Shankar Sinh Vaghela’s final clearance continue to gather dust in New Delhi despite clearances from the state government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

While Mr Correa seemed amenable to settle for something short of a total repeal of the DCR amendments, other activists seem to be girding their loins for another round of PILs on the issue.

More at Panel set up to oversee mill land development (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/988965.cms)

Does anyone know... do the slum clearing authorities allow slum dwellers to vacate their possessions from the property before the tentaments get demolished?

The slum dwellers have gotten several eviction notices, but they were probably led into a false sense of security this time because such demolition has not happened for a long time. Politicians, corrupt babus and slum lords would generally give them protection. Somehow this time things have not worked out in this well oiled scam. Personally I think politicians, corrupt babus and slum lords should be punished.

Bhai logon, ab pata hai kya hoga. Earlier foreigners said that Mumbai sux and there are too many slums and all. Now when they come they will say that mai baap sarkar is too "heartless" and stuff like that. Ab yeh log Mumbai nahi aayenge. Is taraf se ya us taraf se, Mumbai to gaya.

Bhai logon, ab pata hai kya hoga. Earlier foreigners said that Mumbai sux and there are too many slums and all. Now when they come they will say that mai baap sarkar is too "heartless" and stuff like that. Ab yeh log Mumbai nahi aayenge. Is taraf se ya us taraf se, Mumbai to gaya.

main, yeh western hypocrisy ek never-ending tale hai. the one thing that India is doing this decade is doing things for itself, regardless of what the other developed nation think. this is the reason they hate the fact that India isnt allowing anyone into Andaman and Nicobar (well, except Unicef) and that too has gotten their, and the English national media's, goat.

I said this before and ab phir kehta hoon, lets develop India for ourselves, and not for the comfort of a westerner coming here to spend the holidays or do 'charity' work.

Demolition looms over 21 F Tower (http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=62849)

ITC-BMC court battle on new hotel tower (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/990061.cms)

And another one here...

http://web.mid-day.com/ArticleImages/images45/towers.jpg

High-rise residents face towering issue (http://web.mid-day.com/metro/mulund/2005/january/101542.htm)

Mumbai slum dwellers may lose voting rights (http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?slug=Mumbai+slum+dwellers+to+lose+voting+rights&id=67281)

Over one and a half lakh slum dwellers in Mumbai, evicted in the ongoing demolition drive could now lose their voting rights.

"The BMC has asked us to remove names of people whose homes were demolished," said U P S Madan, Chief Electoral Officer.

It is the first sign that the Congress-led government is worried about a political backlash.

Evicted families

Though the Election Commission says the names will only be struck off after checking that the slum dwellers have shifted, evicted families say it will not be easy to re-register in the area they move to.

Justifying the drive

The Mumbai civic elections, just two years away will be the first test of whether the Congress-NCP is able to justify the demolitions after having actually promised to regularise more slums before elections.

But clearly the Congress has more to lose than its coalition partner NCP, which barely has a presence in Mumbai.

The demolitions have not only antagonised the slum dwellers who were targeted but its bound to affect the image of the government in the entire slum community.

But with the opposition Shiv Sena strongly supporting the drive, the people here have few choices.

Cleanliness drive in Mumbai:

[India News]: Mumbai, Jan 23 : A voluntary organisation in Mumbai has launched a cleanliness drive as part of an ongoing film festival to promote the city.

The heart of the nation's financial capital is burgeoning along with the rest of the country, and the development threatens to overshadow the lingering glamour of its Art Deco facades.

Home to India's colourful film industry and bustling commercial centre, the city has become congested over the years due to people migrating in the city from various corners of the country.

Prahlad Kakkar, a celebrity adman who participated in the drive, said if people can take up the initiative to clean the city, they could keep the city clean first hand.

"It's an attempt, it's an one off, it's not an everyday activity but it's symbolic to show the people of Mumbai that if people can take the trouble to spend an afternoon to clean up the ocean then why dirty it in the first place? If we can prevent 10 percent, five percent even one percent of people from throwing rubbish into the sea then it will make our lives so much more easier and make the city so much more beautiful. The ocean in the garden of the city, imagine in Mumbai, if there was no ocean, it would be horrible, it would be unbearable to live in so why are we killing the ocean?," Kakkar said.

The city, which cracked down on more than a quarter of a million street vendors last year in a bid to ease congestion, has largely failed to keep them from returning to hawk clothes, plastic items and a variety of food from push carts and tables. While half or more of its 17.4 million residents live in shanties, Mumbai is also home to super-rich scions of Indian industry and a solid middle-class. The United Nations expects it will be the biggest urban agglomeration after Tokyo by 2015.

Mumbai's slums, which cover about a tenth of the city and usually sprout near construction sites and new flyovers and roads, are generally devoid of even basic civic amenities. But residents sometimes club together to pay for electricity and cable, and even run small businesses.

While the population of the island city on the Arabian Sea remained about the same at just over 3 million in the three decades to 2001, according to official estimates, the overall city's population has doubled.

Most of the growth has occurred in increasingly urbanised suburbs, which house Mumbai's biggest malls and movie theatres. (ANI)

http://news.newkerala.com/india-news/?action=fullnews&id=63780

More on the Mumbai plan -

Rs 31,500 cr plan to re-shape Mumbai: CM (http://web.mid-day.com/news/city/2005/february/103191.htm)

Shanghai obsession continues, and they conveniently missed out on timelines again. Well, not exactly .. there are timelines for money inflow but not for results. So typical.

Shanghai obsession continues, and they conveniently missed out on timelines again. Well, not exactly .. there are timelines for money inflow but not for results. So typical.

I think this time things are moving relatively fast. Slums are being cleared at double fast speed, and building permits are being issued with efficiency and clearity. I think there's definite improvement, but it's still apt to describe India, as a non-imformation society. The authorities don't make the job easy, and make the people guess alot!

Well heres something that kinda supports what you said -

"The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority is developing integrated townships across Mumbai to resettle about 3 lakh slum-dwellers from 58,000 families displaced due to the implementation of two major ongoing infrastructure projects, namely Mumbai Urban Transport Project and Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project. "
http://www.projectsmonitor.com/detailnews.asp?newsid=8655

Something similar here

"After two months in demolition mode, in which time over 80,000 illegal shanties were razed, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh is now touting his plans of free housing for Mumbai’s poor. Over 58,000 houses will be provided to people affected by government projects. However, the CM did not specify if this plan was meant for those displaced in the recent slum demolition drive, or even if these slumdwellers would be at least a part of the rehabilitated lot. He only used the term ‘project-affected’."

http://ww1.mid-day.com/news/city/2005/february/103380.htm

Looks like another project will be shot down before it takes off.
"The dream of swanky taxis replacing black and yellow cabs may remain just that — a dream. On Monday, the state government may just scrap the taxi upgradation project if the taxi unions object. "

http://ww1.mid-day.com/news/city/2005/february/103450.htm

this sucks man....the govt should scrap tax for taxis and get decent cars on the roads...anything is better than the present fiats...even the tata indigo!....im sure that tata can sell indigo's for less than 3 lakh if they are allowed zero taxation or whatever is necessary to sell these cars at a cheap affordable price to taxi drivers.

If I had it my way, I would scrap those awful and ageing black and yellow cabs and get some up-to-date modern taxi's on the road (less than 7 years old in excellent/very good condition and drivers who are competent, confident and have the safety of their passengers a first class priority).

Another suggestion, scrap the rickshaw, they are a complete eyesore, uncomfortable to travel in, dangerous because of the lack of seatbelts, increase pollution and damn right noisy.

^^^ What about those people who drive the auto rickshaws. What will happen to them. Anyways, they should get some modern rickshaws. I personally miss the rickshaws here in Toronto.

hello folks

I am currently a second year student and doing a project on transportation problems in Mumbai...and solutions

Well i need to know that what are the problems that mumbai faces as far as transporting in private and public vehicles and what is your solution to it...

In addition, is Skybus a feasible solution to mumbai's woes and is it adequate..how does it fare as compared to underground rail system and water systems....

what is its capacity/risks associated with it and how much time will it take to finish....

Also can we for slected areas have a double-decker trains?...

How will network of Skybus look like...will it be a linear model or a hub and spoke kind of a thing....can u give me an illustaration of a network...

And in what other ways can we improve the system, assuming that we dont embrace Skybus/water-way/Underground railway system...Is transport connected to other problems ....whcih r they?

Well a lot of questions...some may be stupid...but i need to know these urgently....

Pour in guys/gals asap

thanks

PS:What according to u will be a comprehensive solution to mumbai transport woes and how much time it will take to materialize??

i think we can safely say that the main problem is the sheer load of commuters. i read that about 5 million ppl use the suburban train network - any city would struggle and mumbai local trains do a pretty good job given the conditions.

given mumbai's shape, i would prefer the existing rail network to remain the backbone. any supplementary system like skybus/monorail should act as feeder/extension of the network. So they would somewhat replace buses on the station routes. I know this would increase the load on the rail network but i think some measures could help .

1. make trains longer (this measure is being implemented already)
2. remove some seats from the compartments - more standing space - less ppl hanging out
3. have out of station trains start somewhere at the ends of the network. At the moments northbound trains from dadar/vt use the same lines as the local train. having the inner city lines exclusively for local trains could help.
4. i'm not sure about the double decker train idea. double deckers only work for long distance as they are not conducive to large amt of ppl entering/exiting. Only way double deckers would work is to have doors on both levels - obviously this means that platforms will have to be double decker too - prob not too feasible.

i'm not a big fan of underground due to large amount of money needed. i know delhi has done it but we can all agree that presently a lot more money goes there - hopefully that will change.

the good thing about mumbai is that innovative solutions are always being tried (successful or not) such as the limozine bus service, hovercraft etc. so i'm confident something will come up - prob in 6-7 yrs (atleast a comprehensive decision should be taken by then).

hope that makes sense.

Great news for Mumbai! I hope they act fast!!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1019476.cms

Soon, city's coastline to have a new look

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2005 11:18:42 PM ]

Sign into earnIndiatimes points

MUMBAI: It’s Mumbai’s biggest asset, a reservoir of serenity that somewhat mitigates the stress of living in a bursting mega-city. But Mumbai’s planners have never given it its due.


"It’s ironic and tragic that a city the sea should turn its back on it planning and development," says architect P K Das, who has been actively involved in waterfront development projects like the Carter Road and Bandstand promenades and Land’s End restoration. Das,who’s done a detailed study of Mumbai’s western coastline, is also involved in the ongoing Juhu Beach project and has blueprinted a proposal to rejuvenate the degraded Dadar Chowpatty, now a mere sliver of its former self.

Suddenly, it’s waterfront time in Mumbai. Apart from the various projects currently on the anvil such as Juhu Beach, Gateway and MarineDrive (Dadar Chowpatty has been put on hold after Manohar Joshi, who was to finance it from his MP fund, lost the elections), there is a hint of a possibility of a new seascape opening up to Mumbai’s citizens.

The eastern waterfront, comprising 14.5 km of coastline from Colaba to Wadala, was once a bustling trade area, later upstaged by the new port at JNPT and debilitated by the death of Mumbai’s mills.This piece of land—which belongs to the Mumbai Port Trust— has immense potential, say architects, and a detailed study on its regeneration is currently with the government. "We are discussing several options," says Pankaj Joshi of the Kamala Raheja Institute of Architecture, which conducted the study along with theUrban Design Research Institute.

But while an eastern coastline for the public is still in the realm of the uncertain, the facelift to the western coastline is progressing fast. The brand-new Juhu Beach, for instance, will be open to the public in just two to three months from now although the hawkers, backed by politicians, are still trying to scuttle the court order to relocate to the parking lot opposite the beach. Encroachments along four kilometres of the beachhave been removed— hawkers, hutments and private properties (the worst offenders) who’d extended their boundaries on to the beach

Excellent article. Am very happy for Juhu beach :) I think the common man who is consistently at loss because of these encroachments by shops, hutments and hawkers form their own vote bank types. Am sure they will hugely outnumber these greedy freaks and the politicians will be forced to side with the majority.

MUMBAI MAKEOVER

ALL STALLS WILL GO, SAVE PHONE AND MILK BOOTHS
Clearing roads and footpaths, BMC is ready for next drive
Uma Upadhyaya

Mumbai, February 11: After clearing 89,991 shanties in a record demolition drive, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will now turn its attention to clearing Mumbai’s clogged roads and footpaths.

‘‘We are now identifying roads and footpaths where people have constructed huts and shops illegally,’’ Municipal Commissioner Johny Joseph told Newsline. ‘‘In the next few days, we will take up the task of clearing these.’’

In a meeting on Thursday, assistant municipal commissioners of Mumbai’s 24 wards have been asked to prepare a list of footpaths and roads that have been encroached.

Joseph said the BMC’s aim was to give the city clear footpaths. So, unlicenced stalls—selling everything from books to sugarcane—will first be cleared.

He said licenced stalls would be moved from footpaths and rehabilitated, but later. The only structures that will be left alone will be telephone and milk booths.

That means unlicenced hawkers will be swept away in the drive, but that is a trickier issue (see box).

The demolition drive to clear squatters who had built shanties after 1995 began on December 7, 2004. However, the demolitions have slowed over the last 15 days. A BMC source told Newsline that go-slow instructions have been given because of varied opposition to the drive, including suggestions from Sharad Pawar—Union agriculture minister and leader of the Congress’ alliance partner, the Nationalist Congress Party—that unless people are given houses, demolitions should not go on.

‘‘There have been demonstrations as well, so we have been told to lie low for some time,’’ the source said.

However, Joseph denied there were any such instructions from the government.

He said other agencies too needed to clear demolitions, as with illegal shanties near the airport and on salt-pan lands, originally slated for last week.

‘‘These demolitions have to be done jointly,’’ Joseph said. ‘‘We are ready. But we have not received any intimation from the Airports Authority (of India) and the commissioner of salt-pan lands. Only after a green signal from them will we proceed.’’ Joseph said further demolitions on government land will be scheduled ‘‘after discussion with various agencies’’.

His officers have also been instructed to take ‘‘stern action’’ against people encouraging the reconstruction of cleared shanties.

Four criminal cases were recently registered and 27 people arrested in Colaba, Azad Maidan, P D’Mello Road and Cochin Street, said Assistant Municipal Commissioner Rajendra Wale.

THE HAWKER QUESTION
Clearing footpaths of hawkers is a tricky problem. There are around 2 lakh hawkers in Mumbai. After the Supreme Court’s October 2003 decision to form hawking zones, only 36,000 will be allowed to say.

Presently, only 17,000 hawkers have licences.

A three-member committee—one each for the city, western and eastern suburbs—is studying the formation of the hawking zones.

Hawkers will be accommodated in the zones after drawing lots. The committee will decide the tricky question of which hawkers will be eligible for the lottery.

‘‘Only after the committee’s recommendations are approved by the court, will we will be able to keep illegal hawkers off the streets,’’ said Subrat Ratho, Additional Municipal Commissioner.

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=117368

OMG, something is wrong with our babus and netas. Yeh hamare desh mein kya ho raha hai. The job is actually being done. I think MMS & Co were serious when they were talking of Mumbai into a 1st class city.

OMG, something is wrong with our babus and netas. Yeh hamare desh mein kya ho raha hai. The job is actually being done. I think MMS & Co were serious when they were talking of Mumbai into a 1st class city.

Say Amen!

Say Amen!

Amen!

I really hope they relocate the hawkers in an organized way though, not just get rid of them! Vada Pav and Pav Bhaji are after all, part of Mumbai's identity.

Oh shit!

http://ww1.mid-day.com/news/city/2005/february/103650.htm

Interesting..... :runaway:

^^^

The questions that Mrs Alva has raised are interesting. But isn't she (and her political buddies across party lines) the ones who are to blame for the sorry state of affairs of Mumbai and the rest of the nation. It's indeed laughable to hear a senior politican (and respected) like Mrs Alva asking a question like why not spend on railways? Was she like in hibernation? Who has asked the government not to spend on railways? Maybe she can ask Lalu ji?

And were these netalogs sleeping when the demolitions were being carried out? Now they woke up after getting "faxes" from evicted people?

And what kind of "ferries" is she talking about? What is going to happen during the monsoons?

This is like a big joke: The Government / Ruling party is asking questions that it should be answering in the first place.

Oh shit!

http://ww1.mid-day.com/news/city/2005/february/103650.htm

Interesting..... :runaway:

This is ridiculous! What the hell is wrong with these sick politicians???

Well as I had feared for a while now, a few protests by Medha Patkar-type activists has resulted in a call for the Mumbai plan to be shelved. What blinkered vision these people have! Alva rattles off her alternative suggestions like she's an expert on urban development. And she's completely off the mark on so many points. Just to point out a few - she says there's nothing in it for rail commuters that make up the bulk of Mumbai's population, conveniently ignoring the fact that MUTP is primarily a rail-oriented project and the LRTS/Metro projects are also beneficial for rail commuters. It's depressing that instead of having informed debates, innuendo and misplaced and over-hyped concerns are used as convenient excuses in the face of protests by some vested interests, demonstrating no political will at all. As long as we have spineless politicians, I don't see any future for Mumbai.

^^^

The questions that Mrs Alva has raised are interesting. But isn't she (and her political buddies across party lines) the ones who are to blame for the sorry state of affairs of Mumbai and the rest of the nation. It's indeed laughable to hear a senior politican (and respected) like Mrs Alva asking a question like why not spend on railways? Was she like in hibernation? Who has asked the government not to spend on railways? Maybe she can ask Lalu ji?

And were these netalogs sleeping when the demolitions were being carried out? Now they woke up after getting "faxes" from evicted people?

And what kind of "ferries" is she talking about? What is going to happen during the monsoons?

This is like a big joke: The Government / Ruling party is asking questions that it should be answering in the first place.
That 'steamer' thing is really ridiculous, and well yeah ditto on all the other points you have made too. This is really strange too, even MMS was all out in support, and suddenly, after all has happened, madamji lashes out. Damage control? Is the congress sensing a backlash in Bihar and Jharkhand?? Many mumbai slumdwellers are from there.....Madamji's proposals are just ridiculous, we do need to 'benchmark' against other world cities, and in a democracy there are rarely govts that last for 50 years, so when the hell does she propose to wake up and bail Mumbai out? The rich need to contribute too, but what has that got to do with the slum project? Why stall that, that is equally or more important for the city's sake. The railways are ailing, but what the hell is she doing about lalu's pipe dream, 'anti-poor' bullet train pet project? But of course all this plus the other "questions" are supposed to be answered by HER! Indeed a Big joke...... :bash:

Well as I had feared for a while now, a few protests by Medha Patkar-type activists has resulted in a call for the Mumbai plan to be shelved. What blinkered vision these people have! Alva rattles off her alternative suggestions like she's an expert on urban development. And she's completely off the mark on so many points. Just to point out a few - she says there's nothing in it for rail commuters that make up the bulk of Mumbai's population, conveniently ignoring the fact that MUTP is primarily a rail-oriented project and the LRTS/Metro projects are also beneficial for rail commuters. It's depressing that instead of having informed debates, innuendo and misplaced and over-hyped concerns are used as convenient excuses in the face of protests by some vested interests, demonstrating no political will at all. As long as we have spineless politicians, I don't see any future for Mumbai.
Yeah some expert, "steamers can carry thousands!!" Jeez! :bash:

This is really strange, or probably this is just the infamous Indian media at work, but whatever, they don't dare shelve the plans now. First they cheat the slum dwellers by asking for their votes and promising to guard them, then they ask Mumbaikars to vote promising to transfrom it like Shanghai, then they can't decide which side to cheat! All this after a whole load of people have already "suffered", so now it's both the displaced slum dwellers and average Mumbaikars who will suffer. Babudom at it's best...... :bash:

I think it's a case of Infamous Indian Media + Infamous Indian Babudom.

It will sort itself out. Hold out hope. :)

"Sonia says

• On Shanghai dream: India can’t be compared with China
• On demolitions: Rich must also contribute to development
• On roads: Rs 50,000 crore for bridges incomprehensible
• On locals: Rail commuters ignored; car users benefit
• On waste management: Why only 2 treatment plants?
• On law change for mill land: There was no debate on this
"


WHAT THE HELL?
If that idiot trys to stop any of the projects im gonna be SOOO PISSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW DID THAT IDIOT GET IN CHARGE? SHES GONNA MAKE IT SO WE REMAIN LIGHT YEARS BEHINDE OTHER CITYS.

By the way, im new to forum lol .

I guess this thread is the best place for this:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1021979,curpg-2.cms

State's free housing plan may trigger influx of migrants
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2005 12:25:42 AM]

MUMBAI: The World Bank wants Maharashtra government to do away with its much-publicised free housing scheme for slum dwellers in Mumbai. World Bank vice-president Prafful Patel, in a meeting on Sunday, conveyed the message to chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.

“The free housing slogan triggered a big influx of migrants from various places to Mumbai. This puts an additional burden on the city’s already weakened infrastructure,” Mr Patel told ET after the meeting. “This type of schemes have never worked anywhere in the world. It won’t work in Mumbai too,” he feels.

According to the scheme, people living in the slums were to get at least a 250 sq ft apartment. The government wanted to allot extra floor space index for builders willing to build mass housing in lieu of the land that would have been used for slum dwellers’ rehabilitation. The scheme, since its inception, has hardly had any success. Now, after the World Bank’s tough stance on the issue, the scheme may be heading towards its natural death.

The Bank was categorical in conveying to the state government to get rid of the scheme. Though it’s unclear as of now, the Bank’s prospective assistance for Mumbai has been linked to the state government’s effectiveness in dealing with the issue.

A section of the government too believes that free housing has been instrumental in driving more and more migrants to the financial capital. According to statistics compiled by state government officials, Mumbai’s population witnessed a growth of 36% in the decade ’91-01. Previously between ’81-91 the city was growing at a rate of 13% annually.

The free housing scheme, a baby of the Sena-BJP government, was launched in ‘95 after the first saffron government took over the reins of the state. “True, free housing became an added attraction for migrants. But that’s not the only reason that drove the city’s growth,” an official explained.

The official attributes the migration to changes brought about by economic liberalisation. “The changes that took place during this time forced people out of villages towards cities,” he said. “Many cities across the country have witnessed similar boom during this time,” he pointed out.

However, this theoretical explanation apart, the state government is seriously considering putting a lid on the scheme. A group of officers has been asked to look into the viability and possible winding up of the scheme, sources said.

i guess..it will be tough to regulate the issue of migrants to Mumbai. The demand for housing is huge and when people dont find apartments,then we will see alot of these slums:(

"Sonia says

• On Shanghai dream: India can’t be compared with China
• On demolitions: Rich must also contribute to development
• On roads: Rs 50,000 crore for bridges incomprehensible
• On locals: Rail commuters ignored; car users benefit
• On waste management: Why only 2 treatment plants?
• On law change for mill land: There was no debate on this
"


WHAT THE HELL?
If that idiot trys to stop any of the projects im gonna be SOOO PISSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW DID THAT IDIOT GET IN CHARGE? SHES GONNA MAKE IT SO WE REMAIN LIGHT YEARS BEHINDE OTHER CITYS.

By the way, im new to forum lol .

Welcome to the forum! Too bad you couldn't join on a happier note ;)

WHAT!!!!????
Sonia is STUPID!!. But why? cant she see beyond anything?. Cant she see the good it will do?.
She thinks that 50,000 crores on roads is too much. How can she say that way?. If we are to have world class infrastructure, then this spending has to happen. She does not know jack shit about this country, and i say once again, she has the brains of a frog!

Sonia says we cannot be compared with Shanghai purely because the political system is different!!. Jesus man what the F*** does that mean huh!?

I hope that VD dos not listen to her. She has no real political powers, and if he ignores her, she will not be able to do anything AT ALL, but squeel!:)

I think that she wants to feel important, and people with the right vision and ethics should learn to ignore her.

This is humiliating and depressing. It ruined a perfectly good morning for me
I hope that none of what she said will happen

This only prooves one thing.. Few visionaries cannot do anything in a sea of myopic jackasses

"Welcome to the forum! Too bad you couldn't join on a happier note "


Yea man. I was surfing this forum for days being all happy that India and mumbai will finally become advanced. When I saw that link I had a heart attack and had to register and post, lol.


@29A

Yea I hope no one listens to that retard. She doesnt know the first thing about how to develope a city or anything about countries.

Dilip D'Souza


I don't see Singapore

February 07, 2005

You see," says Mohammed Muslim Pathan, almost genial as he walks around with me, "you see Dilip-bhai, they want to make a Singapore of Mumbai. That's why they are doing this. But understand one thing, Dilip-bhai. That will be a Singapore only for VIPs. Not for poor people like us."

Something makes me stop as he says this. I realise what it is. I want to look around: to find out if I can see, or imagine, this Mumbai-as-Singapore of some future date.

So I stand in this moonscape and do just that. Look all around me. The small clump of people who are walking with me, residents of this once-place, consider me as if I'm a little strange, then they do the same. We see rubble. We see burned patches of ground. A destroyed, then burned Hanuman temple, with its slightly charred idol of Hanuman lonely on a pile of bricks. Beyond, a huge mound of rubble that used to be a mosque. A cart with coloured liquids in 2-litre Pepsi bottles. Scattered underfoot, a large collection of dry mango seeds. People everywhere, some sitting blankly, some picking through the debris, one offering me a battered formica-topped chair to sit on, another asking if she can bring me a drink. Dust and smoke in the air, through which I can see multi-storeyed middle-class blocks of flats in the middle distance. Malad.

I don't see Singapore.

This is Ambujwadi, in the northern Mumbai suburb of Malad. An enormous open area that used to be an enormous slum till just weeks ago, when the bulldozers of Mumbai's Municipal Corporation swept through and simply flattened the place. I mean no exaggeration. I have been in such disaster zones as cyclone-hit Orissa, quake-hit Kutch and tsunami-hit Tamil Nadu. Nothing there matches Ambujwadi for the sheer completeness of destruction. This man-made catastrophe -- and let's dispense with the euphemisms, that's what this was -- has left nothing standing save the occasional piles of bricks under a Hanuman idol, or an Ambedkar painting. Nothing. Several hundred homes in this immediate area, gone. Several thousand people who lived in those homes, suddenly homeless.

On the way to Singapore.

On the way, there are all kinds of little milestones to make you stop and think. What would you say of wells, for example?

Well, wells dot the entire expanse of Ambujwadi. This used to be swampy, overgrown land ("jungle", they tell me). When the people here first arrived, they cleared the jungle, filled in ditches and some marshy parts of the area. Some swampy bits remain, but by and large it's gone. But water, the swamp notwithstanding, was always a problem. The municipality did not supply any here -- taking the view, of course, that the people here were illegals and their huts were illegal and maybe their very existence was illegal -- and so the residents of Ambujwadi dug their own wells.

I'm standing over one, looking in. Hole in the ground at least 25 feet deep, six feet across, lined part of the way down with concrete. There used to be a rim around it, but now there's just rubble. (Thank you, Municipality). My new friends here are looking in with me. A little boy dodges between us to peer in as well; alarmed at how close he gets to the edge, the man beside me yells at him to get back.

Not that there's much to see. What I discern at the bottom is not water, but muck and debris. Much of it, pushed in there during the demolition. This is, as Monty Python might have said, an ex-well. Can't be used.

Mumbai 2020: Dream or nightmare?


I'm getting used to the idea that not only must we demolish these people's homes, we must also ensure that they have no water.

Another well, another deep hole. But this one has long bamboo poles and timber flung in. Another one. But this one is filled to the brim with mud and bricks, leaving a soft depression in the ground. Many more like that. Umabai Chavan, getting ready to nurse her baby daughter Parvati on the rubble of her home, shouts to me across one such depression: "Everything from my house is in there! The municipality threw it in and pushed in mud to cover it all!"

But with their wells more or less history, what are these people doing for water? Two things happen when I ask that.

One, they take me to some plywood planks lying almost at random on the ground. Lift one, and it's another hole disappearing blackly into the ground. A well, this one saved from the municipality by the simple device of laying these planks over the hole, carefully enough to look as if they are discarded there. This way, Dilip Kale tells me, they managed to save one or two wells in the area. Another was saved by arranging the planks and getting kids to sit on them. They persuaded the bulldozer men to leave the kids to play there.

Slumbai: Found and Lost

These few are the sole water sources for the approximately 3,000 people here. For washing, drinking, life, whatever.

Two, an old woman called Bhimabai Kale lowers a battered tin tied to a string into the well that's been opened surreptitiously for my benefit. Pulls up a load of water. Some dark specks and a couple of grimy leaves float in it. But other than that, it looks fine. "Taste it", says Bhimabai with a smile, "go on, taste it, this is what we use, it's OK!"

So I do taste it. It is OK.

We move on to other dismal Ambujwadi sights. Very carefully, almost reverently, Bhimabai behind me lays plywood planks back over the mouth of the well.

Trudging towards the charred Hanuman idol, Mohammed speaks again, pointing. "You see, Dilip-bhai, our women go to those flats" -- the ones in Malad -- "to wash dishes and clothes. Yet it's us they're getting rid of. Can you tell me what this Singapore will be like?"

Before I can answer, I notice two girls in a smashed hut nearby. They are washing dishes in a dirty brown liquid that, I must presume, once was water. Water that once came out of a well, like the stuff I tasted.

Yes Mohammed, I think. What will this Singapore be like? What is this Mumbai like, right now?

^^
Even though socialite idiots who take up poor people's causes are worthless due to their sheer showoffism, it's worth thinking about what will happen to these people without whom are modern lives are incomplete (atleast in India)?
What sort of Rehab packet are they being offered? I am no socialist, but it does reflect in a ugly manner about the way our society works. For example SD Towers is a huge multi billion rupee project; and yet, they're only paying 100 rupees / day to the labourers. Now, these people who are homeless after the slum demolitions, can be absorbed into the construction industry, but will the industry exploitations continue? If the divide keeps on growing, then I forsee the Latin Americanisation of India, only worse in impact!

ok my toughts, hey its Thursday so i have the right to rant i guess;)

First of with the issue of Sonia Ghandi, i have nothing against her in that way,she maybe is a wonderful person what do i know. I dont think she will be a problem for the economy.There is a diffrence between the 60s and now,in the 60s market forces where put aside for state-planing ,now makret-forces have more power than politicans. Who can forget the stock exchange-crash on the election day?

I dont like her typical Arundhati-Royism.

When i first heard of the slum-demolitions i tought "great"...after while things came to doubt,"is it even possible to do slum-demolitions without fierce opposition?"
This plan was doomed to end up in NGOs,oldschool-politicans hands with their "pro-poor" slogans .

3. Ok the deal with Mumbai want to be a Shanghai. Shanghai is very beautiful no doubt but who was the person who brought up this idea? and why just dont be Mumbai?
Do we have to copy everything? or is it some ToI-journalist that came up with headlines "we want to be like XXXX-city"?
There are alot of other beautiful cities around in the world,specially in Europe and Latin-america and surley we have alot of learn from them. But dont go around and dreaming about "we will turn Mumbai into XXXXXX" . Create something from start instead.

4. Yeah the workers are badly paid,its a process we all have to accept even if we dont like it.in the 1920s europe the wages was pretty low to so its just a process of the labour market.We all want to save everyone from their misery and the goal must be to save everyone,but deep down inside you all know we will not be able to save everyone.Its impossbile environmentally and economically.

I think it is better to stop dreaming otherwise you will sit there and wait for a long time, but do appreciate the daily positive changes that are taking place right now in the country.

We will face setbacks no doubt but we are moving forward.

Mumbai all for slum demolition

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1024308.cms

^^
What sort of Rehab packet are they being offered? I am no socialist, but it does reflect in a ugly manner about the way our society works. For example SD Towers is a huge multi billion rupee project; and yet, they're only paying 100 rupees / day to the labourers.

Why rehab man? Will you rehab somebody who occupies your land or your apartment? You wouldn't, why should the state? That is theft of land and property and should be dealt with seriously. Although it should have been taken care of when it all began, but people can't just take things for granted and assume that they can stay there for ever.
Secondly if these people travel a couple of hours by local trains they can get affordable accomodation for the money the earn. But they want to live for real cheap and also save on travel expenses and hassles. Thats the problem.

When Govinda was asked "if he would allow a jhuggi to come up in front of his house", the actor retorted, “I have come from a jhuggi. Many big people have come up from there. Don’t scare me by taking the name of jhuggi jhopdis.”

Cleverly dodged. Even he doesn't want a slum in front of his house, but I think its ok to have a whole mini-slum-city bang in front of the international gateway into Mumbai .. the Mumbai international airport. These freakin hypocrites make me sick.

Same news different Headlines - this is turning out to be a joke [the headlines]

Halt bulldozers, Sonia tells Maharashtra CM

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1024430.cms

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday told chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh to rein in the bulldozers for a while. Sonia told the CM to consider putting off the demolitions till school exams in the city were over. She also told the CM that while slums which have come up after 2000 will have to go, ways should be found to ease the cost of dislocation.

The CM is expected to consider locating the evicted slum dwellers closer to the outskirts of the city, and also that they are not shelterless when Monsoon comes.

Slow down bulldozers, Sonia tells Vilasrao

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1024399.cms

After his meeting with Gandhi, the CM announced in Delhi that the Maharashtra government would honour its election promise to extend the cutoff date for legalising slums from 1995 to 2000, made during the last assembly polls, and demolish only those slums which had come up after 2000. This is being viewed as the first formal step by the Deshmukh government to regularise slums which have come up between 1995 and 2000. The CM was summoned to Delhi by Sonia Gandhi on Thursday after protests from the party faction headed by Mumbai Congress chief Gurudas Kamat. Sonia reportedly told the chief minister to be sensitive to the plight of the evicted slumdwellers. A crestfallen Deshmukh later admitted that what had been agreed to was in effect "a political decision— they (the slumdwellers are our voters)".

Clean Mumbai, but with care: Sonia to Vilasrao

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1024310.cms

The Maharashtra government plans to go slow on its demolition drive in Mumbai, at least till the monsoons are over. The Congress high command has backed the chief minister’s clean-Mumbai policy initiative.

On his part, CM Vilasrao Deshmukh has promised to unveil a rehabilitation package soon. Sonia Gandhi, who met the chief minister today, directed the state administration to strictly follow the promise of rehabilitation made in the joint Congress-NCP manifesto.

Vilasrao gives in, won't pursue slum demolition

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1023113.cms

MUMBAI: The ongoing drive against illegal slums in Mumbai may end soon. Under pressure from party and colleagues, Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh is in no mood to carry out demolitions any further.
“It’s not my personal agenda. If the party doesn’t want it I will stop,” a dejected Mr Deshmukh said after a weekly cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Even as more and more Congressmen were seen opposing the chief minister’s move, the opposition is rallying behind Mr Deshmukh for his zealous drive to get rid of illegal shanties. But Mr Deshmukh today had to face media’s wrath over the party’s flip-over on the slum demolition. When asked about the inconsistency in the party’s stance regarding future development of Mumbai, Mr Deshmukh had no answer. ”You better ask this to my party,” he merely said.

We’ll continue to demolish slums: Maha CM

Press Trust Of India
Posted online: Thursday, February 17, 2005 at 1737 hours IST

Mumbai, February 17: The slum demolition drive in Mumbai, which has been opposed by even some Congressmen, would continue and target only those slums which have come up after the cut-off date of 2000, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said on Thursday.

Talking to reporters after an hour-long meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi, he also said the state government would work out a programme of action for those affected and covered under the manifesto commitments and keeping in mind the CMP of UPA government at the Centre.

Replying to questions, Deshmukh said the party as also NCP in their joint manifesto had given 2000 as the cut-off date for regularisation of slums and his government has directed the municipal corporation of Mumbai to demolish only such slums which have came up later.

Sonia's nothing different than a regular political babu ( cant call her a babe)....she's more interested in the the votes from the slum dwellers than the development of Mumbai...and for gods sake.. VD is doing a really gr8 job...i hope he never stops and DOESNT listen to Sonia....and i seriously feel she should read the threads out here...no place better than this...way 2 go guys........

We have to compete with other cities in the world man. Everyone around the world (A lot of people) think of India as a poor, weak and ruined country. We have to change that view. Why should we be left in the dust when all the other countries are moving ahead? We have to be just as progressive. India is an emerging power and it should also develope its cities and skylines just as fast as its military.The indian Military is pretty strong and it can take on a lot of other countries in the world and can actually be rated as one of the strongest armed forces in the world after china. However Indias Cities are often beaten by many countries which are much weaker and smaller. We must change this! We should do whatever it takes!

I agree with elitecvalier, cncity and gyrations95 completely. We MUST change our image. If the slum dwellers occupy govt land illegally, they must be made to leave. Besides, the slums are breeding grounds for crime, AIDS, etc. They must also not be left in the dark however. They should be moved back to the villages where life for them may be better than in Mumbai. Govt should make small artificial villages with basic facilities for these people. Nice and quite. They have been through hell already.

Nicely said there cncity. like I said before, Sonia does not have any powers to tell VD to anything. He can simply choose to ignore her and she will be able to NOTHING. Keep up the good work CM sahab. Hum app ke saath hai 100%!!

@Suncity:

Yes, I agree.. a terrible joke. Typical Indian media, sad to say. I think there's no way to tell what's going on except by going to Mumbai and seeing what's happening on the ground.

@Madhusadhan/drwho/gyrations95:

Most intereresing views brought up here.. The sad truth is, the slums have been left alone far too long in Mumbai. The slum dwellers should have been rehabilitated from the beginning itself; but that didn't happen. The issue was allowed to remain untouched for far too long - hence the mess now with deadlines, social issues and such.

The argument for demolishment: They're illegal settlers, the land is not theirs, therefore they deserve to be evicted.

The argument for letting them be/rehab: This is their home, they live here, their livelihoods are here. How can we just bulldoze their lives way like this?

Neither argument is correct in its enirety. The ideal solution would be if the government simply rehabilitated every single slum dewller. Everyone's happy, end of story. BUT there are these knotty issues of dwellings being legalised after this date, or is it that date? And there is the simple fact that the Maharashtra government is broke.

So where is the answer? There isn't one. It's ugly to do this, but it has to be done, one way or another. Slum demolition in Mumbai is a sad case of inaction aggravating the problem, and action is taken, the problem just spirals downwards some more.

CM’s Mumbai drive hits Delhi wall

http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=64991

Mainhoona, that Sonai comment was unnecessary. She is no longer a foreigner.

Anyway, I hope VD carries on, and this issue is sorted out quick. There are so many enterprising people just waiting to do their bit to transform Mumbai, and just some stupid things like this brings everything down.

AFA slum dwellers are concerned, however harsh it may seem, some slum dwellers will just HAVE to be sent back. Things in villages I hope improve soon, and that these people can earn a dignified living back 'home'. But for now at least, Mumbai just cannot handle it. They have to go.

They don't have to leave if they just pay their fair share for accomodtion. Most of these people have been in Mumbai for a while and can afford to. By some accounts the business in Dharavi run close to a billion dollars. Its hard to believe that the are broke. If they had the luxury to produce 4 kids they should be prepared to pay to support them. Or they should put their priorities in order .. legal housing before kids. You can't really expect the state to support your family's accomodation needs.

"The argument for letting them be/rehab: This is their home, they live here, their livelihoods are here. How can we just bulldoze their lives way like this?"

When a private builder does it, it does not even find a mention in a local news paper. When the govt does it with a good motive it becomes national news. Why this hypocrisy?

"The ideal solution would be if the government simply rehabilitated every single slum dewller. Everyone's happy, end of story."

And where is that money coming from? The tax payers pockets? If the cost of building a road is 100 crores and the cost of "purchasing land" / rehabilitation is 20 crores amd the govt makes me pay Rs 120 instead of Rs 100 as toll I would be pissed. And I am sure you would too.

My question is why should only a few people get lucky. Why not the poor counterparts from rural India. And we are talking abut rewarding criminals and offenders and letting the poor honest peasant starve. You don't exactly run a country by discretion. The country is not a private asset of any political party. How can those people do that? This is horrifying.

I really feel like writing to the politician junta. Does anyone know of a website where people can express their views on this issue? I believe someone had mentioned something similar on this forum but I can't seem to find it now.

And where is that money coming from? The tax payers pockets? If the cost of building a road is 100 crores and the cost of "purchasing land" / rehabilitation is 20 crores amd the govt makes me pay Rs 120 instead of Rs 100 as toll I would be pissed. And I am sure you would too.

Precisely my point that the situation is rather too far gone; whatever the government does now, someone will be unhappy. Please note that I use the word "ideal" because I don't think it's a feasible solution.

The other side of the story

http://www.achr.net/Evictions%20Asia/India%202005.htm

As the Congress-NCP government drives out slum-dwellers from Mumbai, Jockin Arputham, whose life changed after his slum was demolished during the Emergency, gets his second international honour: the French 'National Order of Merit' for helping the underprivileged. The Magsaysay award winner and founder of the National Slum Dwellers Federation tells Jyoti Punwani -

Why Mumbai Cannot Survive without its Slum-dwellers

Are the large-scale demolitions making people go back to their villages?
Demolitions keep taking place, normally between November and June. This time, the BMC has demolished in one month what it would normally in seven months. These demolitions have been more vigorous, more mechanised and more ruthless and inhuman. They have exposed the politicians' tall talk. Had the MLAs and MPs wanted, they could have stopped them in a day; instead, they have gone into hiding. Where are the human rights groups, those who talk about the girl child? Babies are dying of pneumonia in the open. If one girl is raped, notices are issued to the authorities. Who knows how many girls must have been raped after having to sleep on the roads? No one will go back. I'm willing to give Mumbai's middle class a plane ticket to go back to their villages. They have acres to go back to. Will they?

The authorities say these slums came up after 1995, hence they are illegal.

Everyday, through the press, you invite people to come to Mumbai. Hundreds of ads are printed asking professionals, managers, to come and work here. You don't have place for more people, but do you stop them? No. And not a single ad says: Bring proof of residence before 1.1.95. On the one side you are opening up doors. Middle-class people come here, find a house. The poor also come here for work. They can't afford a house, so they squat wherever they can and become a visible presence. Therefore you break their homes, ruin their livelihood and drive them out inhumanly. Why don't you create an alternative for them? Why should they not have the same chances for employment as the middle class? The custodians of the city should create a sites and services zone on the city's periphery. Put up 10x10 rooms, common toilets and taps, and ask the poor to pay Rs 5 everyday. Make NGOs responsible for collection. Give us a chance, let us enumerate the slums, categorise the residents, and find a place for all.

Where's the land?

Just before he left, Sushil Kumar Shinde released 300 acres of no-development zone land. To whom? To builders. More than 700 hectares of salt pan land is vacant. The Godrej company owns more than 400 hectares within the city, which is not being used either for gardens or orchards. How did the giant Hiranandani Gardens complex come through? People who started as masons have become builders in Mumbai. For them, land is available. Only when the poor want to use it, it's not. You shift the slum-dwellers into buildings, and see how much land is released. This claim of 'no land' is the biggest eyewash.

But the corporation says you don't pay any taxes, you are a burden on the infrastructure.

You don't take any action against the rogues who swindle crores worth taxes. We pay more than the middle class. Do you know that everyday, a poor family staying on the footpath pays Rs 35 just for water? Where's the free stay? We don't travel free; there are no free ration shops for us. We pay for everything from our pockets. Yet, you look upon us as chors and pickpockets. What about the industrialists who bribe BMC officers to allow them to encroach upon public space? Today, all the land in the city is a market. We made it so. We were squatting there, that's how these places came to be known. We are in fact human earthmovers and tractors. We levelled the land first. We have contributed to the city. We carry your shit out of the city. I don't see citizens' groups dredging sewers and digging roads. This city is not for the rich only. We need each other. I don't beg, I wash your clothes. Women can go to work because we are there to look after their children. The staff in Mantralaya, the collectorate, the BMC, even the police live in slums. Because we are there, women can walk safely at night.

Groups such as Bombay First talk about making Mumbai a world-class city. How can it be a world-class city without a place for its poor? It's my dream that one day, all slum-dwellers will refuse to go to work. Will Mumbai survive that day? Who will build your grand projects and work in your malls? You want us to be your coolies, you want all our services, but you don't want us to live here. It's the whole serving class that has made Mumbai a world-class city, not the middle class.

Do different parties have different approaches towards slums?

Why did Mumbai vote Congress? Because it promised to regularise slums till 2000. What's the meaning of a manifesto? This government came to power by showing the people that 'India Shining' was not the reality. Now, they are 'shining'! And the progressive CPM, which rushed here when Bangladeshis were being thrown out, has proved that as the ruling class, it is as oppressive as others.

And yet another side of the story: I am quoting the whole story because editing is not possible.

http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=65012

National Interest: Mumbai s*d to Patna [edited lest some our friends misinterpret English :) ]

SHEKHAR GUPTA

Govt land needs to be freed from the politico-criminal mafia which exploits poor as vote-bank

Just a drive around Patna could help you see the ongoing slum demolition controversy in Mumbai in a comprehensive perspective. If you allow divisive vote politics to determine every aspect of governance, this is what you get: India’s most non-functional capital of India’s most non-functional state.

If all that matters to you is winning elections, and if it does not matter to you that you do it by dividing and exploiting the people, you can get three or even more (who knows!) terms in power. But, in return, you also get the state of Bihar. ‘‘You know why there has been a spate of kidnappings of doctors here,’’ asks a senior police officer, then gives the answer, ‘‘because doctors are the only people left here who have some wealth. All the others have fled. Professionals have nothing to do. All manufacturing industry has fled, no services can function here, even owners of large automobile shops have shut shop and fled.’’

Let us see how this Bihar syndrome reflects so dangerously in the debate currently raging in Mumbai. This is what the untidy gang of politicians, led by Margaret Alva, who have ganged up on their own chief minister, are saying. The Maharashtrians vote for the Shiv Sena and they will benefit from these demolitions. The purabiyas (migrants from eastern states) are Congress voters. So we have to choose between the locals and the loyalists. The city, its infrastructure, the law, all be damned. How different is this from Thackeray who says the same thing, but reverses the equation to promote his loyalists over the outsiders. And how different, indeed, from Laloo who believes he is okay with total anarchy as long as it actually strengthens his vote banks?

It is not a rich versus poor debate and the Congressmen who package their open subversion of their own government fool nobody by using that argument. This marks the return of the worst of the Sanjay Gandhi-style of politics where lakhs of people were brought into Delhi and settled in numerous clusters that first went by the ubiquitous name of JJ (jhuggi-jhompris) colonies and then bloomed all over the city as several Sanjay and Indira Nagars and colonies. All this while the political class itself was smug and secure in its own NDMC zone where no such nonsense was allowed. Mercifully, the decline of Sanjay’s Congress, represented by Bhagat, Sajjan Kumar and Tytler, and the rise of a more enlightened younger generation of leaders, not only arrested that process but also resulted in some clean up and rehabilitation. As a consequence, the migrant voting classes and the ‘‘locals’’ have lived in much greater harmony than in Mumbai. No surprise then that the rise and resurrection of Delhi under a Congress government has continued with the decline and decay of Mumbai, in the same period, also under the Congress.

The Congress in-house gang of saboteurs is fighting the battle for political turf against their own chief minister whom they detest in the name of the poor. Some of them are indeed genuine, like Margaret Alva. But they nurse such antediluvian notions of development and equality that they should be rubbing shoulders with the leaders of the CPI instead. Over the past week she has publicly rubbished her own government’s vision of the development of Mumbai, endorsed by her own prime minister and has also snubbed her party’s state leaders in public. She at least speaks from a passion that comes from old, abandoned Congress-style socialism. The opposition of others is purely for cynical political reasons.

If all of them are suddenly so concerned about rehabilitation now, you have to ask them what they were doing during the past five years in power. The suggestion of the year 2000 as cut-off date is scandalous as well as self-serving. The Congress came to power the last time in 1999 and had a full five years to start the clean up as well as rehabilitation. But it was during this period that fresh encroachments were encouraged. Not surprisingly, one of the loudest critics of the current clean-up, Kripa Shankar Singh, held key portfolios during this period. Incidentally he happen to be from the east, too, with purabiyas as vote banks.


You cannot deny that demolitions are inhuman, and reasonable rehabilitation is a fair demand. But should there be no punishment, no price paid by anybody, official or political, for allowing encroachments in the first place?

One persistent problem in India is the belief that government property belongs to no one and is fair game for political land mafias. Those who now complain about the clean-up benefitting builders’ mafias forget that these lands are only being freed up from the worst kind of politico-criminal land mafias who grab government properties, sell them to the poor as if they were their own, and then exploit the poor as vote banks. Do you really believe that a poor labourer coming from Hajipur or Raghopur in Bihar could come one day and grab howsoever tiny a piece of land for himself, on his own? Mafias grab land and sell or rent to him, and then hold the entire system of law and governance to ransom, riding the power of his vote.

This is why one of the most important reforms that needs to be carried out is in the area of property. Abolish urban land ceiling where it hasn’t yet been done, reduce stamp duties, computerise land records, regularise benami holdings, promulgate the long-delayed rent acts and reduce the linkage between urban property and political land mafias. Otherwise there will be no ending this cycle of encroachments, demolition, politicising and, ultimately, the slide of our big cities, particularly Mumbai, into a Patna-like mess.

And an editorial

Manmohan Vs Sonia

http://e.sinchew-i.com/content.phtml?sec=2&artid=200502190001

Excerpts:

Sonia Gandhi decided to take a leaf out of Medha Patkar's book, and had chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh summoned to Delhi, where he was given a dressing down by Maharashtra Congress leader Margaret Alva.

She did have half a point when she said India being a democracy, cannot emulate the practices of a dictatorial country.

That, of course, cannot work in a country like India. Urban slums, much as their squalor might revolt refined aesthetic sensibilities, are actually engines of economic redistribution, since to their residents they provide an escape from rural destitution. That is why economic inequality in India is lower than some other large nations.

But at the same time, land use in a metropolitan city has to be well defined, transparent and shorn of hypocrisy.

If land is set aside for, say, property development or building of roads, you cannot have political leaders proffer land to slum-dwellers, garnering votes in the process, then turn round and demolish the slums when other interests assert themselves.

That way lies not democracy, but anarchy. Slums have either to be regularised, or they have to be demolished, there is no third way. Since the slums were built on encroached land, razing them is not "dictatorial", but application of the law. If the law is an ass and needs to be changed, that is what elected assemblies are for.

What is needed are rational land use policies that are transparent and politically sustainable.

Another edit:

Excerpts

Metropolis, stalled

http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=64951

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh is a deeply disappointed man today. His ambitious attempt — the first serious one since Independence — to transform India’s richest but shabbiest city into a modern metropolis could now grind to a depressing halt. Deshmukh has been cut short by the worst of his party’s old world, vote bank politics.

Congress Party General Secretary Margaret Alva set the ball rolling at a meeting with Mumbai’s business community, when she openly chided Deshmukh’s government for its demolition drives: get your priorities right, she warned. Unlike the residents of Mumbai, Alva has no real stake in Mumbai. How can she then be allowed to undermine one of the boldest interventions ever taken by any chief minister? How can she be allowed to play with the future of the city? In many ways, this controversy is in complete character with the Congress brand of politics that wishes to be all things to all people. One day it pretends to be a modern, reform-minded party; the next day it is back mouthing the rhetoric of yesteryear. A model of change and urgent urban renewal that had been clearly articulated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is brushed aside — not through reasoned debate and discussion but in the babble of vote bank rhetoric.

Uncertainty now shrouds Mumbai’s future. Mumbai desperately needs — and certainly deserves — to achieve international standards. As for the Congress, it emerges as the ultimate ditherer — a quality that will not exactly endear it to Mumbai’s citizens. It has also come across as a badly divided house, with its intra-party machinations being played out in the clear light of day. All in all, a shameful state of affairs.

The city deserved better that this mess of old world, vote bank politics

The price tag - Sonia's largesse

Ms Gandhi, knowingly or inadvertently, has given fresh lease of life to over 18 lakh illegal shanties or hutments that have come up between 1995 and ‘00. To rehabilitate these, the state will need approximately Rs 24,000 crore.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1026472.cms

Interesting points culled from various news articles

Mr Deshmukh's points:

http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=65008

Vilasrao Deshmukh:

"We have full information on Mumbai’s illegal shanties. Some time in June 2000, my government had surveyed slums, since there was a proposal to issue photo-IDs. We had received a total of 13.20 lakh applications. It look like we will have to rehabilitate 7 to 8 lakh huts."

"We will require at least 2,000 hectares of land (size of 28 Nariman Points) for the rehabilitation of 8 lakh families. That will cost Rs 24,700 crore: Rs 700 crore for land, Rs 20,000 crore for houses and Rs 400 crore for developing infrastructure. But let me make it clear. Nothing will be free and rehabilitation in Mumbai is impossible. They will have to move out."

"Again, let me make this clear. Our policy was last-come-first-go. The BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) began demolishing slums built in 2004, then 2003, and so on. So far, 91,000 hutments have been demolished. Of these, less than 6,000 were constructed between 1995 and 2000."

***************

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1025577.cms

Excerpts:

"About 10,000 slum families will be covered under this rehabilitation assistance programme. Housing plots measuring 150 sq ft to 225 sq ft would be given to them at Taloja and Shirdon in Kalyan. They will have to shift to outside Mumbai as the plots they had illegally occupied are now being fenced off and protected by private guards. Now the slum dwellers cannot complain that their housing was not taken care of by the state" said a senior Mantralaya official.

The rehabilitation plan, however, is unlikely to go down well with Deshmukh's rivals within the party who had objected to the demolitions.
Congress MLAs Kripashanker Singh and Naseem Khan, who had raised the bugle against the demolitions, were eager for rehabilitation to be done on the same or nearby plots. Sources said this was so they wouldn't lose their precious vote banks.

***************
http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?slug=Mumbai+slum+dwellers+await+rehabilitation&id=68786

"We want that they should give us land here, not somewhere else. What if they give us land very far away or in the middle of the jungle, how will we survive then? We live here and work here," said Tamanna, a slum dweller.

The ultimate acid test is how the state government convinces lakhs of slum dwellers to move out of city limits.

***************

The other side of the story

http://www.achr.net/Evictions%20Asia/India%202005.htm

As the Congress-NCP government drives out slum-dwellers from Mumbai, Jockin Arputham, whose life changed after his slum was demolished during the Emergency, gets his second international honour: the French 'National Order of Merit' for helping the underprivileged. The Magsaysay award winner and founder of the National Slum Dwellers Federation tells Jyoti Punwani -

Why Mumbai Cannot Survive without its Slum-dwellers

Are the large-scale demolitions making people go back to their villages?
Demolitions keep taking place, normally between November and June. This time, the BMC has demolished in one month what it would normally in seven months. These demolitions have been more vigorous, more mechanised and more ruthless and inhuman. They have exposed the politicians' tall talk. Had the MLAs and MPs wanted, they could have stopped them in a day; instead, they have gone into hiding. Where are the human rights groups, those who talk about the girl child? Babies are dying of pneumonia in the open. If one girl is raped, notices are issued to the authorities. Who knows how many girls must have been raped after having to sleep on the roads? No one will go back. I'm willing to give Mumbai's middle class a plane ticket to go back to their villages. They have acres to go back to. Will they?

The authorities say these slums came up after 1995, hence they are illegal.

Everyday, through the press, you invite people to come to Mumbai. Hundreds of ads are printed asking professionals, managers, to come and work here. You don't have place for more people, but do you stop them? No. And not a single ad says: Bring proof of residence before 1.1.95. On the one side you are opening up doors. Middle-class people come here, find a house. The poor also come here for work. They can't afford a house, so they squat wherever they can and become a visible presence. Therefore you break their homes, ruin their livelihood and drive them out inhumanly. Why don't you create an alternative for them? Why should they not have the same chances for employment as the middle class? The custodians of the city should create a sites and services zone on the city's periphery. Put up 10x10 rooms, common toilets and taps, and ask the poor to pay Rs 5 everyday. Make NGOs responsible for collection. Give us a chance, let us enumerate the slums, categorise the residents, and find a place for all.

Where's the land?

Just before he left, Sushil Kumar Shinde released 300 acres of no-development zone land. To whom? To builders. More than 700 hectares of salt pan land is vacant. The Godrej company owns more than 400 hectares within the city, which is not being used either for gardens or orchards. How did the giant Hiranandani Gardens complex come through? People who started as masons have become builders in Mumbai. For them, land is available. Only when the poor want to use it, it's not. You shift the slum-dwellers into buildings, and see how much land is released. This claim of 'no land' is the biggest eyewash.

But the corporation says you don't pay any taxes, you are a burden on the infrastructure.

You don't take any action against the rogues who swindle crores worth taxes. We pay more than the middle class. Do you know that everyday, a poor family staying on the footpath pays Rs 35 just for water? Where's the free stay? We don't travel free; there are no free ration shops for us. We pay for everything from our pockets. Yet, you look upon us as chors and pickpockets. What about the industrialists who bribe BMC officers to allow them to encroach upon public space? Today, all the land in the city is a market. We made it so. We were squatting there, that's how these places came to be known. We are in fact human earthmovers and tractors. We levelled the land first. We have contributed to the city. We carry your shit out of the city. I don't see citizens' groups dredging sewers and digging roads. This city is not for the rich only. We need each other. I don't beg, I wash your clothes. Women can go to work because we are there to look after their children. The staff in Mantralaya, the collectorate, the BMC, even the police live in slums. Because we are there, women can walk safely at night.

Groups such as Bombay First talk about making Mumbai a world-class city. How can it be a world-class city without a place for its poor? It's my dream that one day, all slum-dwellers will refuse to go to work. Will Mumbai survive that day? Who will build your grand projects and work in your malls? You want us to be your coolies, you want all our services, but you don't want us to live here. It's the whole serving class that has made Mumbai a world-class city, not the middle class.

Do different parties have different approaches towards slums?

Why did Mumbai vote Congress? Because it promised to regularise slums till 2000. What's the meaning of a manifesto? This government came to power by showing the people that 'India Shining' was not the reality. Now, they are 'shining'! And the progressive CPM, which rushed here when Bangladeshis were being thrown out, has proved that as the ruling class, it is as oppressive as others.

Not at all a bad exposé of the current government, which has not stuck to it's manifesto. Which agains begs the question why the NDA got ousted when it's opponents chanted a different mantra, while now in power, they are going the same way!

This man does make a very valid point when he says that service classes run India. It's true, middle class Indians are not capable of taking care of their own selves, because we have not been inculcated with self-help values. We want to have our cake and eat it too.

I think the High Court will have to step in and do something.

Kind of off topic but can anyone tell me more info on the WTC which is to be built in Mumbai? The cost etc and how likly it is to happen.

24 ration officers face action over slum norm violation (http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage.php?hpFlag=Y&chklogin=N&autono=181494&leftnm=lmnu2&lselect=0&leftindx=2)

Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Monday ordered action against 24 officials in the rationing department over the issuance of ration cards to post-1995 slum dwellers, in Mumbai city, which is a violation of the law enacted by Maharashtra’s state legislature.

According to secretariat sources, the chief minister was upset that although the law prohibited the setting up of slums after 1995, not only did more than 13 lakh new tenements came up in the period between 1995 and 2000, but also ration cards and civic amenities (water and electricity connections) were issued to illegal encroachers.

The meeting resolved to place the issue of assisting post-1995 slums that were constructed prior to 2000 before the state council of ministers.

A survey of pre-2000 slums has also been ordered by Deshmukh.

The action against the errant rationing department officials is expected to be followed by similar action against police officials and civic department officials who failed to curb the rampant proliferation of these slums.



And who is going to nail the bloody politicians who allowed this to happen? Punish the people who probably followed orders while the netas will continue to be a burden on the nation.

T Chandrashekhar is arguably one of the most credible among public faces. Lets hear from the man himself -

"Mumbai has been a milching cow for the state and Centre but they must realise it happens only until the cow lives. The Centre needs to clear the Mumbai makeover plan quickly and we can start making Mumbai a better place.
We should stop supporting people who hold the city to ransom. Nobody can see demolition from a negative point of view. A new development plan should be sketched out and we need to deal with encroachments with an iron hand. How can people illegally occupy rail and road corridors and then demand houses?
Pet theory: Apart from developing the hinterland we need to develop rail and road infrastructure and cheap housing. We also need to develop peripheral towns like Panvel, Dahanu, Kalyan, Ambernath, Vasai, Virar, Raigad and improve connectivity between Mumbai and these places."

Milind Deora - MP
"Illegal housing and encroachments cannot be tolerated. We need to create solutions for affordable housing. People who live in slums are part of the city’s economy, we can’t wish them away – but we need a zero tolerance policy, else we are not going to have a last solution to the problem."

http://ww1.mid-day.com/news/city/2005/february/104041.htm

Kind of off topic but can anyone tell me more info on the WTC which is to be built in Mumbai? The cost etc and how likly it is to happen.

They are not building it in the near future.

Where Mumbai has missed out big time is affordable quality housing. As long as the government doesn't ensure that, it will not be able to solve the slum/poor housing issue. The slum / bad housing problem in Mumbai is due to poor planning.

Navi Mumbai could have been easily developed faster by building a few rail and road tunnels instead of waiting for ever for one long bridge for two decades (and yet to come up). It would have cost money but it would have saved Mumbai.

They are not building it in the near future.

you know when we can possibly expect it? Any articles on it?

PMO eyes ‘Shanghai’ but glosses over demolition (http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=65342)

When Finance Minister P. Chidambaram unveils Budget 2005 on Monday, Mumbai is likely to get a mention in form of a special grant to revive its collapsing infrastructure. But the Prime Minister’s Office, coordinating the turn-Mumbai-into-Shanghai project, sought to dissociate itself entirely from the demolition drive ostensibly taken up for that very reason.

‘‘Much as we would like to see Mumbai become a city with international standard infrastructure, this should not be construed as a blanket support for demolition without a rehabilitation package in place,’’ sources in the PMO said.

The PMO, it seems, is wary of any attempt to link PM Manmohan Singh’s statement that his government would convert Mumbai into Shanghai by 2010 to Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh’s now-stalled demolition drive.



Teacher: Ram, you still looking for an example of gutless hypocrisy?

Krishna prefers homegrown model for development of Mumbai.

http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=77331

London business delegation in Mumbai to explore trade

http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=76968

Teacher: Ram, you still looking for an example of gutless hypocrisy?
:lol: LoL

It was too good to last. :bash:

I am against free rehabilitation, it's not Mumbai's responsibility to make the lives of everyone in India. Plenty of cheap public housing, and just free rehab for pre-1995 slums. This kind of freebies for everyone (i.e 95-00 slums) is so typically "vote-bank" babudom. :bash:

Mumbai set for makeover, to become financial hub

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/03/01/stories/2005030101431900.htm

Yo guys, yesterday I posted one of Ubermensch's Mumbai pics in Guess the City section. People were guessing it as Shanghai. Whoa!!!! :D . Sorta funny.

ha ha, these shockers to the western world with the generic thinking that India is poor and all that are excellent.

meanwhile, more of the same.

Mumbai Matinee: The makeover (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1036372.cms)


Besides three major infrastructure projects, finance minister P Chidambaram has promised all help to make Mumbai a regional financial hub.

As reported by ET first, three major infrastructure projects — the Mumbai Metro, the Bandra-Nariman Point Sea Link and the Sewri-Nhava Sea Link projects — are underway, which have found mention in the Budget, and will now receive Central assistance.

Recently, the PM had appointed Prithviraj Chavan, a minister of state in the PMO, to pursue Mumbai-related projects with the Centre.

The 146-km Mumbai Metro project is expected to cost Rs 19,500 crore, Bandra-Nariman Point Sea Link Rs 3,100 crore and Sewri-Nhava Link Rs 6,600 crore.

Of the three, work has already begun on the first phase of the Mumbai Metro that will connect Andheri to Ghatkopar and Bandra to Worli (part of the Bandra-Nariman Point Link) at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore and Rs 1,100 crore, respectively.

To pursue the plan, the government had asked the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to draw up a detailed proposal in conjunction with industrial bodies and submit it to the Centre for approval. “It’s a shot in the arm for the Bandra-Kurla complex,” said Mr Chandrashekhar.

The complex has been shortlisted to house the proposed financial hub.
The commerce ministry was asked to consider the modalities for setting up such a centre in the SEZ coming up at Dronagiri near Navi Mumbai.


Good. That will keep an eye on the incompetent factors in the state govt. way to go Bambai.

Mumbai's Rajabai Tower turns 125

http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?slug=Mumbai's+Rajabai+Tower+turns+125&id=69282

By the way when did the Metro construction start in Mumbai..never heard of it until now..

Mumbai Matinee: The makeover (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1036372.cms)



Good. That will keep an eye on the incompetent factors in the state govt. way to go Bambai.

V.D is excited after budget provisions -

http://web.mid-day.com/news/city/2005/march/104623.htm

Others speak (MMRDA, MSRDC)

http://web.mid-day.com/news/city/2005/march/104625.htm

South Mumbai hotels back in reckoning

http://www.moneycontrol.com/backends/News/frontend/news_detail.php?autono=163097

The cost of the Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project (MUIP) is likely to go up by an additional Rs 450 crore if the state government decides to give protection to slum dwellers till 2000.

Further, the project, which has a deadline of December 2005, may be delayed.

http://web.mid-day.com/news/city/2005/march/104770.htm

The road you drive on soon will not only be free of potholes it will also be ISO 9000 certified.

http://web.mid-day.com/news/city/2005/march/104772.htm

Doesn't get spicier than this, does it? :)

This is one project I myself will oppose ATM.

http://web.mid-day.com/news/city/2005/march/104854.htm

Goregaon-Mulund link road, through the lush green Aarey Colony, and Bhandup Water complex. This area should just be left untouched, it's an amazing vast, green expanse, between the two dense high rise districts, Gokuldham-Kandivali and Andheri.

ATM if they are building JVLR, which is just one flyover away down the WEH, then this one seems useless. It has already run into trouble before, they first proposed to build it through the national park, and it was opposed, now this and again opposition. There has to be another solution.

I think for now they should just upgrade the two lane strech, or maybe make it 4-lanes divided. But another 10-lane expressway in a parrallel alignment so close to another one, and that too in this situation, seems pointless.

The road you drive on soon will not only be free of potholes it will also be ISO 9000 certified.

http://web.mid-day.com/news/city/2005/march/104772.htm

Doesn't get spicier than this, does it? :)

I'll believe it when I see pics.

So hast the slum demolitions come to halt now or what?

Mumbai, a financial hub? A complex task!

March 05, 2005

One of the attractive features of Mr Chidambaram's fourth Budget is the way it reflects the sense that India can now raise its sights.

There is the Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion) provided to the Indian Institute of Science so that it can match the best universities in the world; the promise of a public telephone in every revenue village; the intention to develop Mumbai as a regional financial centre; the desire to see an Indian bank ranked among the top 20 in the world; and so on.

Some of these goals are easier than others -- the telecom objective certainly looks eminently achievable in the next one year.

But the budget of Harvard, one of the universities that the finance minister mentioned when talking of the IISc, is many multiples of the Rs 100 crore that Mr Chidambaram has provided for IISc. Harvard hopes to raise $5 billion (Rs 22,000 crore) as additional money to fund its own reform programme, and already has an endowment of $22.6 billion (Rs 100,000 crore!).

This is not to argue that all costs are comparable, they are not, and the rupee will go much further than the dollar -- else the IITs and IIMs would not have achieved what they have. But the gap remains vast.

And the non-financial elements of institution-building are often even more important than money. Still, it is good to benchmark against the best in the world, like India's best companies now do.

The goal that will give the India story an altogether new dimension is that of making Mumbai a regional financial centre, by exploiting the fact that it lies in a time zone that is midway between Tokyo and London.

This is an even more complex task than raising the standards at one research institute.

There are some starting credits available, of course. India's two leading stock exchanges can now compare with the best in the world in terms of system reliability, and have a trading volume (in terms of the number of scrips) that puts them next only to the New York and Nasdaq exchanges.

Some new commodity exchanges are now beginning to make their mark, and India seems headed to become a leading centre for trading in agro-commodities and bullion (after all, India is among the largest producers of a range of agro-products like sugar, cotton, and tobacco, not to mention tea and coffee).

Then, the financial system has got more varied, and both better and stronger, with some quality players emerging on the scene.

The telecommunications system is no longer something to be embarrassed about. Many of the leading international players are active in Mumbai, and are familiar with the environment. Most of these are the achievements of the last decade, post the Harshad Mehta scam of 1992.

But even if you develop these assets manifold, it won't make Mumbai a regional financial centre. For that, you need capital account convertibility -- and India is at least five years away from that.

You also need rules for international banks that take you forward to what the Reserve Bank of India has promised at the end of its latest road map.

And, of course, you need to make the city infinitely more livable than it is today, so that players from any country will be willing to shift to Mumbai without a second thought, just as they do now to Singapore and Hong Kong.

For starters, therefore, you need an international airport and flights to all points on the globe through the day and night (another five-year time table). You need a plentiful supply of hotel rooms, and easy housing accommodation -- not the extreme scarcity of quality flats, which is today's reality.

You also need good schools and hospitals where you can get admission without having to pull wires -- and this may take even longer.

And finally, you need to be assured that there will not be street politics of the kind that the Shiv Sena specialises in, or communal riots of the 1993 variety.
Simply setting the goal therefore tells us how much distance has to be travelled. The result is a humbling feeling, but it is also good to be conscious of how much we have to improve on an infinite variety of fronts before we can hope to become a serious global player.

http://inhome.rediff.com/money/2005/mar/05mumbai.htm

:runaway:

[QUOTE=mainhoonna]Mumbai, a financial hub? A complex task!

And finally, you need to be assured that there will not be street politics of the kind that the Shiv Sena specialises in, or communal riots of the 1993 variety.
Simply setting the goal therefore tells us how much distance has to be travelled.

Above said is 100% true...Its not beauty for any metro city to have such riots...unless such riots become nil that city cant be called as cosmopolitan...

[QUOTE=mainhoonna]Mumbai, a financial hub? A complex task!

And finally, you need to be assured that there will not be street politics of the kind that the Shiv Sena specialises in, or communal riots of the 1993 variety.
Simply setting the goal therefore tells us how much distance has to be travelled.

Above said is 100% true...Its not beauty for any metro city to have such riots...unless such riots become nil that city cant be called as cosmopolitan...

A lot of Dawood and other traitor problems, or a lot of internal matters such as the Naxal problems in the east, the Bangladeshi immigration epidemic can be solved once our leaders grow balls and realize how their impotence is hurting the Republic.

So has the slum demolitions come to halt now or what?

Will 2005 be the year of Navi Mumbai?

http://web.mid-day.com/metro/vashi/2004/december/100523.htm

EVER WONDERED WHY DESPITE ECONOMIC BOOM MUMBAI HASNT BUILT ANY NICE SHINY SKYSCRAPERS.

This read is fairly long winded but it explains why all our buildings are medium height skinny unattractive buildings.

MMS and AK really need to sort out the FSI if they are serious about making Mumbai into a Shanghai


http://alain-bertaud.com/AB_Files/AB_Mumbai_FSI_conundrum.pdf

So has the slum demolitions come to halt now or what?

Apparently is going on in bits and pieces. Maybe the the Congress Govt doesn't want to stop high profile projects because they don't want the same treatment being metted out to them as Deve Gowda in Karnataka :). Maybe slum demolition is all about their discretion now ..

http://ww1.mid-day.com/news/city/2005/march/105008.htm

"The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) today continued its demolition drive to remove the slums so as to facilitate modernisation and expansion programme of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, here.

About 400 hutments in Jarimari in north-west Mumbai have been demolished since 8 am, BMC officials said.

Earlier, about 200 hutments were demolished at Kanti Nagar, the sources added."

so,the request from Sonia didnt work?:)

so,the request from Sonia didnt work?:)

Sure looks like it..

I think they'll continue, but they'll just lower its profile significantly.

Cry for Mumbai, our little India (http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=66284)

For too long Mumbai has seemed an aimless, inchoate, uncontrollable entity, at the mercy of people with multifarious agendas: property grabbers, rioteers, smugglers, contract killers, gun-happy policemen, slum lords and terrorists. Those who would seek to change its character, its name. Those who would seek to make a fetish of its elements — Bollywood, the underworld, the slums.

Perhaps its helplessness to resist plunder was written in the very nature of its origins. A disconnected bunch of islands that metamorphosed into a city by wresting land from the sea could not but provide a stomping ground for predators. The battle between the city and nature has been an ongoing one. The image by which Mumbai is best known has crowds, many of them fresh immigrants, “streaming” out of the erstwhile Victoria Terminus station. Slums “sprout” everywhere. The city “spreads” beyond its limits like a cancer. The monsoons “flood” the streets every year. Bombs “burst”. Mangroves have been “hacked” away from the seafronts by greedy builders. And over a hundred have been “mauled” to death by leopards.

With such odds stacked against it, and younger, newer metropolises raising their glossy towers like rude fingers, is it any surprise that Mumbai had begun to lose its sheen?

And so what is happening right now is a miracle of sorts. An unexpected windfall. Mumbaikars are talking. About their city. From launching SMS campaigns to organising meetings in seminar halls — urban activist Gerson DaCunha claimed to have attended as many as 11 of the latter variety recently — they are discussing the problems of the city. Angrily, hopefully, determinedly but, most significantly, with a sense of ownership.

A conference last week, organised by the Asiatic Society of Mumbai at the historic Town Hall, which brought together town planners, architects, activists, bureaucrats, sociologists and cultural theorists, was short on hope but brimmed over with solutions: from hard-headed suggestions on the slum crisis to ideas for a cultural rejuvenation; from planning strategies to simple transport fixes.

Just talk, one could say. Yet a city of many islands can neglect bridges only at its own peril. This realisation was made startlingly clear by the conflagration of 1993 and led to the setting up of mohallah committees, sparked off local initiatives by citizens’ groups with the co-operation of municipal authorities and one of the aims of the move over the last few years to reclaim public spaces which was to provide arenas for people to interact.

Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh might do well to heed the fact that a cross-section of Mumbaikars, from industrialist Anand Mahindra to the man in the street, do not share his vision of Mumbai as another Shanghai — or even Singapore as others have proposed in the past — but would like Mumbai to build on its own unique character.

Planet Godrej controversy?

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=120750

Planet Godrej controversy?

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=120750

hm..i dont get it,has the u/c of planet godrej stoped or have i just mistaken something?:)

hm..i dont get it,has the u/c of planet godrej stoped or have i just mistaken something?:)

Dunno. It looks like IEX is just making a case for it.

^^
This is a crystal clear case. Simplex Mills owners' should produce the re-lease agreement, and then everything is fine. Kudos to Indian Express for keeping the vigil!

Seminar on "Revitalisation of Mumbai Mills":

http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=84955

I read some reports that finances are a constraint in some of Mumbai's projects. I have a doubt. When in the 80's or 90's, Shanghai was in more or less the same place as Mumbai, and China's economy like India. From where did they get the money to do all the stuff. Is it possible for Mumbai(and India) to do the same?

Now thats simple.

They do not have lazy bureaucracy. So projects start when they are supposed to and end when they are supposed to. Cost of projects do not escalate.

The people in power there do not run the risk of losing their offices. So they do not hesitate to make decisions unlike in India where babus choose not make any decisions because they might go wrong and may be kicked out and never get back the gaddi again. Projects simply do not start; and when a minister with some guts does make a decision the cost is probably 10 times the original cost. Plus he has to encounter a bunch of freaks ranging from self declared experts to environmentalists to NGOs to illegal slum dwellers and law breakers who have the balls to ask for rewards and free housing in return for their illegal activities. Legal battles and half done half abandoned work add salt to wound.

They do not have the luxury of Public Interest Litigations being filed by people who cannot look beyond 2 feet (either because of ignorance or selfish motives). Again cost escalation.

They do not have the govt rehab largesse as in India. Again CS. This is all BS man, all BS.

More Mumbai mill land may be put up for development

http://www.business-standard.com/smartinvestor/storypage.php?chklogin=N&autono=184402&lselect=10&leftnm=lmnu6&leftindx=6

:bash:

OK 'India2050', whatever you say my confused nadesi friend.

Mumbai mill owners push for easy land use

http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage.php?storyflag=y&leftnm=lmnu2&leftindx=2&lselect=1&chklogin=N&autono=184482

From the latest issue of India Today.

Mills And Doom

In the fight between textile mill owners and environmentalists over mill land worth Rs 3,250 crore, the worst affected are the 14,000 workers who are still to get their dues and the space-starved Mumbaikars
By Malini Bhupta


It is a prospect that will inspire real-estate developers to turn cartwheels on Mumbai's Marine Drive. Over 573 acres of prime land in central Mumbai are waiting to be freed for development. In normal circumstances, the champagne corks would be popping. Not this time though, mainly because of the motley cast of players involved: the mill owners, for whom the land is a white elephant, the National Textile Corporation (NTC), the Maharashtra Government, powerful textile unions and thousands of laid-off workers. The irony is that they are all on the same side as far as the land's sale is concerned. So why is it turning into an urban nightmare?
PICTURE SPEAK
CHANGE OF FACE: The Phoenix Mills was converted into a shopping complex

The sheer size of the land which will be unlocked and the impact it will have on real-estate prices have brought the issue to the fore. Of the 573 acres of mill land owned by NTC and private companies, nearly 309 acres are available for development. At about Rs 10.5 crore per acre, it translates into Rs 3,250 crore worth of prime real estate.

In the past two months, the state Government, in one of the biggest ever demolition drives in the city, razed about 90,000 shanties and reclaimed nearly 150 acres of land from squatters for development. But the mill owners' attempts to develop their land have brought them in conflict with environmentalists fighting for open spaces and low-cost housing even as they turn a blind eye to the larger issues-the salary dues of workers and the liabilities to FIs. The matter is now in the Bombay High Court, following a PIL initiated by an environmental organisation in February. Caught on the back foot is the Vilasrao Deshmukh Government, which has to defend its 2001 Amendment to the Development Control Regulation (DCR) 58 of 1991 that allowed mill owners to develop land and retain all built-up areas.

Mumbai's eminence as the country's industrial capital owes much to the textile mills that employed 250,000 workers until about two decades ago. But a combination of militant trade unionism, archaic laws and regulations, lack of modernisation and the emergence of the power loom sector in Bhiwandi and Malegam led to the closure of most of the 58 mills in the city.


REALTY BITES
58 mills are on 573 acres of land, of which 309 acres are available for development.

At Rs 10.5 crore an acre, the land is worth more than Rs 3,200 crore.

372 high-rise buildings can be built on this land to accommodate 1.10 lakh people.

According to realtors, the potential for development in central Mumbai is 1.8 million square metre.

MILL HOLDINGS

SIMPLEX MILLS — Area: 36,553 sq m

RUBY MILLS — Area: 26,082 sq m

BOMBAY DYEING — Area: 2,28,430 sq m

MAFATLAL MILLS — Area: 85,197 sq m

STANDARD (P) — Area: 40,812 sq m

STANDARD (S) — Area: 35,372 sq m

CENTURY — Area: 79,843 sq m

MODERN — Area: 23,457 sq m

MATULYA — Area: 21,373 sq m

PIRAMAL — Area: 30,000 sq m

MORARJEE No. 1 — Area: 77,710 sq m

MORARJEE No. 2 — Area: 33,784 sq m

PIRAMAL — Area: 30,000 sq m

HINDUSTAN MILLS 1 — Area: 72,593 sq m

NTC MILLS — Area:11,22,814 sq m
TOTAL 19,44,020 sq m

For the crippled textile industry, a ray of hope came in the form of DCR 58 introduced by the Congress government of Sudhakarrao Naik. Textile mill owners were allowed to redevelop surplus lands and the money accruing from this was to be used to modernise other mills owned by the owners, settle the dues and pay back loans to FIs. Says Ramanand Tiwari, principal secretary, Urban Development Department: "The policy change in 1991 was meant to allow mill owners to develop land."

Yet, if little or no development took place, it had much to do with a clause in the DCR which stipulated that if the existing structures were demolished, the mill owners would have to hand over two-thirds of the land to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority (MHADA) that focused on low-cost housing. However, if the structures were not pulled down, the built-up area remained with the owners while the open spaces were shared with BMC and MHADA.

Mill owners say DCR 58 is discriminatory as it applies only to textile mills and not other industries. Consider this: in the heart of Mumbai's textile mill area, tobacco giant ITC owned a cigarette factory. It was demolished and in its place stands a five-star hotel, the ITC Grand Central. Pharma major Glaxo is currently developing a residential complex in its prime property in Worli. Says architect Charles Correa, who sat on several committees that looked into the mill-land issue: "Changing the use of land should apply to all industrial development, not just textile mills."

With policies skewed against the mill owners, it is no wonder that most of them chose not to develop their land. The exceptions were Phoenix Mills and Kamala Mills. By "renovating" the existing structures and converting them into malls, they managed to avoid handing over the surplus land to the government. Says V.K. Tripathi, joint managing director, NTC: "Few mills sought clearance for redevelopment as they did not think it would help them meet their liabilities."

The impasse led the state government to appoint a committee headed by Correa in February 1996. After its report, the then Shiv Sena-BJP government put a cap on all mill land development. Among the committee's re- commendations was this: land belonging to the various NTC mills should be divided among the mill owners, the BMC and the MHADA. The report did not mention anything about the private mills.

In 2000 the ouster of the BJP-Sena government saw the fate of the mill land fall in the hands of the Congress-NCP combine, led by Deshmukh. Following the report of a cabinet sub- committee, the government proposed modifications to DCR of 1991. The amended DCR of 2001 allowed owners to retain the built-up area and share only the remaining vacant land. Also, the amendment ensured that the mill owners would first pay the arrears of workers and institutions. The money did not go directly to the owners but to an escrow account. The industrialists would get the money that was left after the settlement of the dues.

Since 2001, many mills took this route to develop the mill area to settle their outstanding debts. Many even borrowed from banks to pay workers while their development plans were being vetted. However, some groups protested that the city did not have enough open spaces. In January, the Government constituted a study group headed by HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh to look at ways in which the state could get more land without jeopardising the interests of workers and institutions.

Almost overnight, an environmental group, the Bombay Environmental Action Group (BEAG), filed a petition challenging the 2001 amendments to DCR 58. The changes, the petition said, "reduced the area available to address the urgent needs of open space, mass housing in the city ... and made large tracts of erstwhile mill land available for private and commercial development without any centralised planning or supervision". The PIL was strangely silent on the workers' dues and unpaid loans. Says Tiwari: "The PIL is actually a private-interest litigation." To buttress their case, sympathisers of BEAG and others who stand to lose by way of a real-estate price crash spread the canard that the land was on leasehold and that the Government could claim two-thirds of the land. Tiwari rubbishes the argument: "Of the 58 textile mills, 40 are freehold. In effect, 89 per cent of mill land is freehold, which means owners have the right to do what they want with it." Adds Rajeev Piramal, director of Morarjee Realties (formerly Morarjee Mills): "The owners are trying to develop the mills to clear their liabilities to workers and FIs. If that is derailed, then the ability to pay them will be affected." The Morarjee Mills has raised debt to pay Rs 150 crore to workers. So far 17,000 workers in private mills collected Rs 528 crore and 8,000 employees of NTC got Rs 498 crore. But 14,000 workers in seven private mills are yet to receive the Rs 400 crore due to them.

There are more twists in the tale. The NTC-owned Jupiter Mills gave part of its land for a school only to find that builders had put up a residential tower there. Even the Urban Design Research Institute, a body of prominent citizens, found itself divided as some members, including Parekh and Keshub Mahindra, chairman of Mahindra & Mahindra, wrote a letter (dated January 6, 2005), the copy of which is in the possession of India Today, to the chief minister claiming that they had no objections to the amended DCR 58, while others protested against mill development. Former Congress MLA Chandrashekhar Prabhu, a member of the 2003 mill development committee and a vociferous opponent of the land sale, found nothing wrong with writing to the NTC offering to be a consultant for its efforts at redevelopment. In his letter, he said the release of large tracts of land would result in a crash in real-estate prices. But Prabhu's answer to India Today was: "I offered my services free of cost." The mill owners are far from backing down. Even as environmentalists continue to lobby, Mumbai's land crunch makes the mill owners believe that they have a case the authorities will find it hard to dismiss.

WB seeks policy punch for Mumbai makeover


http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage.php?storyflag=y&leftnm=lmnu2&leftindx=2&lselect=1&chklogin=N&autono=184767

From the latest issue of India Today.

Mills And Doom



That's a very interesting article Mainhoonna. For a change it casts some light on the activities of all these mushrooming environmental groups and activists.

WB seeks policy punch for Mumbai makeover (http://www.business-standard.com/bsonline/storypage.php?&autono=184767)

The World Bank (WB) estimates that $ 50 billion can be easily attracted for Mumbai’s modernisation, mostly from the private sector, if the Maharashtra government acts quickly to initiate reforms by repealing the Urban Land Ceiling Act (ULCA), rationalising the Rent Control Act (RCA) and permits a much higher floor space index (FSI) for commercial constructions(between five and 10) while increasing the fllor space index (FSI) for residential housing from 1.33 to 2.

A World Bank team that was in Mumbai has also suggested that the huge tracts of privately held mill lands, Bombay Port Trust (BPT) land, salt pan land, railway land besides the land holdings currently locked under the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) stipulations and no development zone (NDZ) laws be brought into the market.

According to the mission, Mumbai is expected to witness an additional influx of 38 lakh migrants between 2001 and 2021.

In order to cater to the housing demand that will be a direct consequence, the mission has sought a rationalised increase in the FSI stipulations in Mumbai.

While currently 1.33 is the permitted FSI for both residential and housing construction in the city, the bank has recommended a sharp increase of the FSI to 2 for housing purposes, and as much as between 5 and 10 for commercial property.

While commending the central business disctict (CBD) set up in the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), the World Bank team strongly urged an increased FSI for the business district in the range of 5 to 10, in tune with global standards.

“In most developed cities of the world, the FSI is distinctly higher for commercial realty, unlike the uniform FSI for both residential and commercial realty observed in Mumbai,” the official said.

WB has the right idea.. but who's going to listen to them?

They recommend increasing the FSI to between 5 and 10.. a dream come true...

Plus so many other things which would be excellent for Mumbai's economic development...

The World Bank are just stating the painstakingly obvious. But the state wont listen, if they wanted to make such reforms they would have already done so.

Battle of the heavy weights

The state and mill owners are challenging a public interest litigation filed by an environmental group demanding that the mill lands should be equitably divided between the owners and the city.

Senior counsel Iqbal Chagla represented the environmental group while the state’s counsel Ravi Kadam opposed the PIL. The PIL has perturbed mill owners enough to engage top legal guns from Delhi. Former attorney general Soli Sorabjee appeared for Morarjee Mill, former union law minister Arun Jaitley appeared for Bombay Dyeing and former additional solicitor general Mukul Rohatgi was there on behalf of the 25 NTC mills that are to be auctioned.

Details at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1065074.cms

More info about this "environmental" group comes from the article that Mainhoonna posted

Almost overnight, an environmental group, the Bombay Environmental Action Group (BEAG), filed a petition challenging the 2001 amendments to DCR 58. The changes, the petition said, "reduced the area available to address the urgent needs of open space, mass housing in the city ... and made large tracts of erstwhile mill land available for private and commercial development without any centralised planning or supervision". The PIL was strangely silent on the workers' dues and unpaid loans. Says Tiwari: "The PIL is actually a private-interest litigation." To buttress their case, sympathisers of BEAG and others who stand to lose by way of a real-estate price crash spread the canard that the land was on leasehold and that the Government could claim two-thirds of the land. Tiwari rubbishes the argument: "Of the 58 textile mills, 40 are freehold. In effect, 89 per cent of mill land is freehold, which means owners have the right to do what they want with it." Adds Rajeev Piramal, director of Morarjee Realties (formerly Morarjee Mills): "The owners are trying to develop the mills to clear their liabilities to workers and FIs. If that is derailed, then the ability to pay them will be affected." The Morarjee Mills has raised debt to pay Rs 150 crore to workers. So far 17,000 workers in private mills collected Rs 528 crore and 8,000 employees of NTC got Rs 498 crore. But 14,000 workers in seven private mills are yet to receive the Rs 400 crore due to them.

The twist in the tale

What the mill owners are saying of the PIL filed by the environmental group is that it basically is a front for rival architects and builders who have vested interests in stopping the development of Mumbai mill lands. The mud slinging now involves bigwigs like Deepak Parekh, Keshub Mahindra, Charles Correa and Chadrasekhar Prabhu who are opposed to mill land development. Guess this will get more complex as more skeletons fall out of different closets.

Details at http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=123133

National Textile Corporation (NTC) lawyer Mukul Rohatgi alleged that those who had filed the public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the sale of mill land had vested interests.

‘‘There’s more to the PIL than meets the eye,’’ he said. ‘‘Two years ago,’’ he continued, ‘‘architect Chandrashekhar Prabhu offered his services to develop NTC land claiming he had contacts with several business concerns. We rejected his proposal, and now, he’s supporting the PIL.’’

‘‘If there’s no need to buy property in the suburbs at higher rates, builders will be affected,’’ he alleged.

‘‘Deepak Parekh writes to the chief minister saying he has no objection to the amendment. Then, he sits on a committee that will inspect the amendment. Coincidentally, this letter is written on the letterhead of Urban Design Research Institute, where Prabhu is a member’’

Industrialist Keshub Mahindra, Parekh, Prabhu and urban planner Charles Correa, said Rohatgi, are acting ‘‘as if the land is theirs.’’

WB seeks policy punch for Mumbai makeover (http://www.business-standard.com/bsonline/storypage.php?&autono=184767)

Maha govt really needs to undertake some quick reforms if it wants to walk its talk of transforming Bombay. First the Planning Commission and now the WB has said that they are more than willing to fund Bombay's projects if they repeal the ULCA and the Rent Control Act, so the ball really is in the Maha govt's court, esp since their "Center doesn't fund Bombay's development" rhetoric doesn't hold water anymore.

Btw, correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't Urban Land Ceiling Act (ULCA) been repealed in every state other than Maha and Bihar???? Bihar I can understand, but why is Maha govt so averse to repealing it???

^ Sorry if this seems a little bit of a silly question, but what exactly is this Urban Land Ceiling Act? Also, what exactly is wrong with the Rent Control Act?

^^^I'm also not sure...try googling "what is Urban land cieling act" or something, or maybe someone can throw some light on this???

Also, what exactly is wrong with the Rent Control Act?

The Rent Control Act is a serious disincentive against developing real estate in Mumbai.

1. Because of Rent Control, owners have no incentives to maintain their houses in proper condition, because their rents will not go up irrespective of what they do. In fact, owners of very old buildings would rather see these buildings get destroyed (in which case the tenants would have to leave) than to restore them. This is a key reason for why old buildings are in such a dilapidated state in Mumbai.

2. Because of the way the Act unfairly favours tenants (if they live 15 years in an apartment, they can claim it for perpetuity) people have no incentives to buy new property and let it out for rent. The severe shortage of rental property in Mumbai can be directly attributed to this act. I know countless people who keep their property locked even though they have a different apartment of their own, rather than renting it out.

If the Rent Control Act were to be abolished, there will be a construction boom in Mumbai. A lot of slum dwellers do not really have reasonable options that they can afford. Many slum dwellers are not really poor - in the sense that they can afford to rent apartments. With the removal of rent control, one can expect a boom of new construction, that would absorb a certain proportion of the current slum dwellers. Also, one can expect a boom in revival of old colonial buildings, that cannot be demolished due to heritage laws, but that would be repaired and renovated by owners in order to get better rent.

Rent Control actually does not serve the interests of those it aims to protect. It only benefits a small proportion of tenants, who have been fortunate enough to get apartments on rent. It does not benefit the vast majority of new entrants to the renting market, whose options are severely restricted due to the Act, and they effectively end up paying more (in exorbitant deposits for instance) for inferior property.

The Urban Land Ceiling Act limits the amount of land that can be owned by a single owner. The effect of this is fragmentation of land and of property development.

^^^ Thanks for that explanation, Sridhar.

Tell me something, is the Rent Control Act applicable in Delhi too??? The reason I ask is that my mom's publishing company rent office space in Del and pay a very nominal rent of just a few hundred bucks per month for a pretty big office space (about 25 people work there). From what I can remember, she was telling me that the contract was entered into many decades ago and the law is such that it doesn't let the rent go upto market value and keeps it absurdly low. Now she is looking to shift the office to Gurgaon but the rental contract is loaded so much in the tenants favor that she doesn't wanna terminate the contract and is looking to convert it into a warehouse.

Goodness. I had no idea the Rent Control Act was this sort of a mess.

Now that you mention it, I do remember reading about disincentives to maintain buildings in Mumbai. Another over-socialist policy gone wrong.. Tell me, why hasn't the government not rationalised it until now? Is it just laziness, or is there some sort of political motivation -- votebank politics, presumably?

As for the Urban Land Ceiling Act - another socialist policy gone wrong.

Very sad to see such outdated and ridiculous laws hindering Mumbai's development. :(

More FSI for old Mumbai buildings?

THE Maharashtra Government is considering a hike in floor space index (FSI) from 2.5 to 4 for the redevelopment of 19,000 old buildings in Mumbai city.

read more at:http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/04/02/stories/2005040202800100.htm

More FSI for old Mumbai buildings?

THE Maharashtra Government is considering a hike in floor space index (FSI) from 2.5 to 4 for the redevelopment of 19,000 old buildings in Mumbai city.

read more at:http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/04/02/stories/2005040202800100.htm

"However, the rider is that the redevelopment would have to be undertaken by the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA)."

Mixed feelings.

Here's an interesting interview about Mumbai builder Hiranandani. The big news of course is that his company is constructing a 90 Storey Residential Tower in Dubai. The interview itself offers interesting insight into the India construction and real estate industry.

Hiranandani Interview (http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage.php?storyflag=y&leftnm=lmnu5&leftindx=5&lselect=2&chklogin=N&autono=184033)

This should make for an interesting read!:-

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1069800,curpg-1.cms

Medha Patkar arrested

http://www.hindu.com/2005/04/07/stories/2005040704191300.htm

Bombay dreams come true at last (http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/apr92005/arts121947200548.asp)

A marshy land across the busy Mumbai harbour has become the glittering New Mumbai 35 years down the line, and an example in city planning to the whole world, writes VIMLA PATIL.



As 2005 reaches its high summer, enthusiastic folks at CIDCO, now headed by the personable young Sonia Sethi, its joint managing director, are looking at adding a golden feather to their caps.

This year, New Mumbai, the city they started to construct over mosquito-infested marshes 35 years ago, has come of age and has been included in National Geographic Magazine’s list of ‘The World’s Most Beautiful & Well-planned Cities’.

City planners from all over the world are bound towards New Mumbai’s picturesque rest house-bungalow on top of a wooded hill to enjoy the eye-soothing view of the mythological Pandav Caves waterfall and the landscaped gardens and to have a panoramic view of the exquisite arrangement of housing schemes, office blocks, international class railway stations and industrial and export zones.


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“Among the well-planned townships is Kharghar and New Mumbai where roads, gardens, housing complexes public utilities are planned for enhancing vitality, energy and efficiency in urban life,” says Buddhabhushan Gaekwad of CIDCO, “We faced a major challenge when this public sector organisation was established in the seventies. The land across the Bombay harbour was nothing but a vast area of marshland with salt-riddled soil and soft rock.

“Over the last 35 years, we have systematically filled up the vast acres of land and given the land to developers who work to a plan for an ideally designed city.

“Now, three decades later, the plan is showing stunning results. City planners from all over the world come here if only to see the railway stations which are housed in elegant buildings which have IT parks, shopping malls and several other state of the art facilities provided in beautifully designed world class buildings.

“CIDCO is the only organisation, which has successfully persuaded the Indian Railways to bring special rail links to the new cities by offering to share the expenses of putting the rail lines between Mumbai and its surrounding cities, which are developing fast with the growth of the metropolis. We are laying new roads, opening new educational institutions, schools, hotels and entertainment complexes to make New Mumbai one of the best cities of the modern world”.

A tour around the new city confirms all these statements. New Mumbai is now the official knowledge corridor between Mumbai and Pune. Here in New Mumbai, stands the International Technology Centre, a techno hub with two Mbps Satellite Earth Stations. The International Infotech Park is a futuristic technology village where 140Mbps high-speed data communication is available.

The city is in the process of building a Special Economic Zone (NMSEZ), which will be a world-class duty free enclave and deemed foreign territory for speedy trade activities with globally competitive trade facilities. On the anvil is also a new airport, which will be an air cargo hub and a passenger facility.

In every aspect, Navi Mumbai has scored high points. It is a group of self-sufficient townships built according to the latest international trends. Naturally, these cities have attracted the best type of residents overflowing from Mumbai. Gaekwad proudly says that the literacy level in the city is 96 percent with the average family income being nearly Rs.10,000 per month. The city is connected by rail and road to all major Indian cities and ports. The infrastructure includes places of worship, schools, colleges, landscaped gardens, beautifully laid roads, community centres and sports clubs.

The streets are clean and no unauthorised slums have been allowed to sprout anywhere. On top of all this, Navi Mumbai has some of the best hospital and medical services in India with super speciality hospitals being planned in the near future.

However, it is generally agreed that the most impressive feature of Navi Mumbai are the railway stations designed by leading architects and city planners. Kharghar, Belapur and other stations are throbbing business hubs with technology companies, IT enabled industries and outlets and malls for the most modern consumer products and services.

The stations have food malls, entertainment complexes and other services. CIDCO is now headed by Sonia Sethi, the joint managing director, who is the second woman IAS officer to lead the large organisation.

“Being a Maharashtra Government Undertaking, we will now proceed to design new cities around Nasik, Aurangabad and Nanded. We are also the planning authority for Vasai-Virar region of the state. We have already developed Oros, the district headquarter of Sindhudurg district on the west coast. We are developing a new city called Meghdoot near Nagpur,” says Gaekwad.

He adds, “Last year, when the National Geographic Magazine announced its intention to do special features on the world’s best and beautifully designed cities, we invited them to see our specially produced corporate film which showed our work in Navi Mumbai. They were fascinated and a team came to see the city. We are proud that Navi Mumbai is now included in the list of the best cities in the world. Our work has paid rich dividends!”

Nice read Jai


It makes me want to look at pictures of Navi Mumbai!
Does anyone have some?

Social activist and environmentalist Medha Patekar being taken away by policewomen during a protest against the demolition of slums, in Mumbai on April 6, 2005.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/wfsf/high/2005/04.06/images/high1309866.jpg

^^^Almost everyone seems to be trying very hard not to smile or laugh in that picture. Such dharna dramas are so common in India that they no longer evoke any reaction from people except sarcasm and annoyance. It seems that quite a number of people were hurt in the melee.

I am suprised not to see Vandana Shiva in the picture.Would have been a nice picture to have as a desktop.

all creds to the police force:)

Oh no no Doc, there are two types of activists, one who sit there with the masses, live like them and act with them.

the other is the one which sits in an airconditioned office and writes about the big bad government and the suffering masses.

But that aside, I firmly believe that if the Government has to get through the process smoothly, they must come up with a firm rehabilitation plan and then advertise it so people with vested interests have a weapon less in their arsenal.

have never seen Vandana Shiva live and act with the "masses" other than flying around the world and talking about so called "capitalist imperialism" ;)

sure a rehab plan would be fine,but first..show us the money.

Bombay dreams come true at last (http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/apr92005/arts121947200548.asp)

A marshy land across the busy Mumbai harbour has become the glittering New Mumbai 35 years down the line, and an example in city planning to the whole world, writes VIMLA PATIL.


New Mumbai skyline, roads and plan really deserves Laurels. It has a fantastic set of modern-looking buildings. :)

New Mumbai skyline, roads and plan really deserves Laurels. It has a fantastic set of modern-looking buildings. :)

http://img229.exs.cx/img229/6920/seawoodcomplex3ei.jpg

http://img229.exs.cx/img229/6920/seawoodcomplex3ei.jpg

Is this built on reclaimed land or cleared land?

http://img229.exs.cx/img229/6920/seawoodcomplex3ei.jpg

thats a awesome pic Sun!:)

from the goldmine?...anyway good find!:)

thats a awesome pic Sun!:)

from the goldmine?...anyway good find!:)

Nope. check your PM.

Is this built on reclaimed land or cleared land?

Dunno.

Navi Mumbai makes it as world's supercity (http://web.mid-day.com/news/city/2005/april/106830.htm)
By: Vinod Kumar Menon
April 4, 2005

Apart from the big three, there’s also Hong Kong, Sao Paolo, Mexico city, Las Vegas and amchi Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. To make it to the list, the city had to be well-planned in terms of infrastructure, construction, development and transport.

According to the National Geographic channel, Navi Mumbai has the unique distinction of being India’s only well-planned city.

For parameters see the comparative. said B R Gaikwad, Chief Public Relation Officer CIDCO. Mumbai makes it to the list because of the proposed infrastructure projects, though it actually compares unfavourably with Navi Mumbai.

The documentary will be aired between May end or beginning June.

How it happened

The National Geographic Channel assigned a US-based production house, Base Productions, to produce a documentary titled, Secrets of the super cities.

Said Buddhabhushan Gaikwad, chief PRO, CIDCO, “On learning of the concept, we approached the channel and sent them details about Navi Mumbai. Impressed by what they read, a production team from the US arrived at Navi Mumbai and shot the unique features of the city.

National Geographic compared the two cities on the following parameters


Reclamation

Navi Mumbai
CIDCO claims to have adopted indigenous, conventional and the Dutch method of reclamation consisting of holding ponds and retention ponds to provide efficient storm water disposal system to avoid flooding.

Mumbai
In Mumbai flooding occurs due to high tide and heavy rain and the city adheres to the conventional method of reclamation, said an officials from the Storm Water Drain department, BMC.


Railway stations

Navi Mumbai
Vashi and CBD Belapur railway stations are completely managed by the Computerised Integrated Building Management System (CIBMS). It’s a first, wherein power, security, fire and water supply is controlled through computerised systems. High-tech offices are also a part of the railway stations.

Mumbai
According to Sunil Jain, chief public relation officer (Central railway) there is no station managed by CIBMS. However CR is toying with the idea of having commercial complexes at some railway terminus. The problem, says Jain is that Vashi had a huge tract of land to execute miracle plans, unlike stations in Mumbai. Also, with millions of commuters using the stations every day, modifications are difficult.


Sewerage system

Navi Mumbai
According to CIDCO officials Navi Mumbai has a uniform sewerage system throughout the area, all connected to the sewerage treatment plants, located in various neighbourhoods — Nerul, Koparkhairne, Vashi, Sanpada etc.

Mumbai
Mumbai does not have uniform a sewerage system and places like Dharavi and Jogeshwari do not have a sewerage system at all. But says P R Shanglikar, deputy municipal commissioner (environment and waste management), like the rail stations, CIDCO has open plots, unlike Mumbai, which always faces problems of encroachment and unplanned townships.


Nerul-Belapur-Uran Rail link

Navi Mumbai
The Nerul-Belapur-Uran link is the third mega rail project coming up in Navi Mumbai in the last few years. The other two-mega projects, which have already been commissioned, include Mankhurd-Belapur-Panvel rail link project and Thane-Turbhe-Vashi rail link projects.

Mumbai
Work has commenced to construct a subway at Kurla railway station. Tracks are being increased from four to six lines on the Thane to Diva stretch and Diva to Kalyan belt. The MUTP project is also awaited.


Icing on the cake

Palm Beach road, Navi Mumbai
Palm Beach is an urban expressway from Pawne junction to Thane-Belapur road and runs on the western boundary of Navi Mumbai giving access to Vashi, Sanpada, Nerul, NRI complex and connects CBD Belapur. The 9-km long road is constructed with an objective to decongest traffic on Sion-Panvel expressway. The road is divided with Royal Palm trees and flowering shrubs.

Dronagiri, Uran
Geogrid and Geonet technologies along with sand blanket construction to prevent moisture from the creek coming on to the surface of the road is being looked at.


Higher, faster, stronger

CIDCO Managing Director Ashok Sinha
“We are delighted that we could accomplish what we dreamt of. I am confident that in the next two years, Navi Mumbai, will evolve even higher, by way of amenities. Along with the citizens of Navi Mumbai, I think the entire state of Maharashtra will be happy.”

CIDCO Managing Director Ashok Sinha
“We are delighted that we could accomplish what we dreamt of. I am confident that in the next two years, Navi Mumbai, will evolve even higher, by way of amenities. Along with the citizens of Navi Mumbai, I think the entire state of Maharashtra will be happy.”

I hope so too :) Mumbai is a very special city! And Navi Mumbai city developments projects also normally rock...

Should Mumbai have sky-high FSI?

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1078372.cms

Well seriously why not?

I argue for it.. I say if the infrastructure is "crumbling" then for god's sake improve the infrastructure, and allow higher FSI. Is the Maharashtra government serious about making Mumbai a world-class city? Funds are a problem, but isn't the Centre pledging money? Why can't the government use this money to upgrade the infrstructure in Mumbai? And if Mumbai is so congested and so crowded, then why not develop other cities - Pune, Thane, Navi Mumbai at an accelerated pace?

You see.. there's no real issue here. If the government really wanted to, it could solve all its problems and substantially improve Mumbai within a decade at most.

Increase the FSI already.. Space-starved Mumbai can't survive without serious highrise development.

Bombay Dreams (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7528903/site/newsweek/)

India's financial capital has a grand scheme to become a modern city, but cynical politics and red tape may spoil the plan...

A very interesting article from the "phoren" press.

Bombay Dreams (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7528903/site/newsweek/)

India's financial capital has a grand scheme to become a modern city, but cynical politics and red tape may spoil the plan...

A very interesting article from the "phoren" press.


Reading that is demorilizing, look at all those currupt government guys trying to stop development...:(.

I agree, it is demoralising, but it has a healthy dose of cynicism mixed with cautious hope.

We can only wait and see. I fear that there's little hope for the city until and unless these political issues are resolved - the main one seems to be slum demolishment issue that Sonia Gandhi intervened in.

demoralizing or not,it is pretty much how the situation is.

the part i like in the article is : "In India, modernization is often held back by political tension between the rich and the poor."

not only rich and poor, but those who are technocrats/libertarians and those who are ,social activists,socialists,Vandana Shivaists,etc.
In the future you will see even more political tensions and pretty much aggressive ones. In a democracy you cant have everyone happy and satisfied,specially not with a population of 1b+. Some will whine,some will be happy ,we will not be able to save everyone from their missery.

its a dilemma, and Sonia Ghandi pretty much showed it when she stopped(or tried) the slum demolishment just for not loose the voter base,all this is a momentum 22 in a democratic system.

politcal mental siege:
if you do/or plan radical changes = the risk that the govern party will loose power in the next election = no party wants to loose power = therefore the result is make no changes.

The Gov has to move the slums even if people will whine, "this is un-democratic" even take choices that are un-democratic. The future alternative is far far worse.

Financial status?

It is not easy when it comes to financial issues, for making good infrastructure you need funds and as the situation is now,we have a huge budget deficit to take care of.That can only be done with constant growth and tax inflow(broaden the tax base).
But to achive growth you also need good infrastructure,Now hows that for a moment 22?

people have to learn that the market always goes before democracy,always always. Not only does it apply for India,but one just have to take a look on the rest of the world.

Could we have some photos of Borivoli Wildlife Park if someone already has them? Specially, some view of the entire area from some highrise with city development in the foreground/background might look majestic!

Hmm..

I would like to remind ppl, that the situation on the ground in Bombay isnt as people make it out to be.

In recent times, alot of attention has been brought to our problems but these have existed for quite a while. If anything the situation has gotten better.

Misconceptions:
1) There aren't as many slums as ppl are talking/writing about. While the statistic of 60% of Bombay lives in slums may be true (which I doubt), I would like to remind everyone that doesnt mean 60% of Bombay is covered in slums!! that figure is high but probably closer to 5%.

2) There aren't beggars everywhere! In fact contrary to what the article suggests, Its difficult to find a beggar in the airport area! In all my 10+ trips back to Bombay in the last 4 years, I have never encountered beggars waiting for me at the arrival gates.

3) Only in the worst case scenario does it take 2 hrs to reach from the Airport to South Bombay. Either the guy in the article is talking about Lonavala or he doesnt know what he's talking about. 2hrs is possible, but its certainly not the norm!!

4) Whatever anyone might want to say I've been to Bangalore, Delhi, Calcutta, Chandigarh Jaipur, Pune... which are all great places but Bombay is still the most developed and most modern city amongst these.

Unfortunately, we are presented with information written by ppl who come to Bombay for a couple of days or who hear stories from their friends and write articles as if they are all knowing of the functioning of the city. Its like a child saying "there is no such thing as real love" they simply havent experienced it yet.

Hmm..

I would like to remind ppl, that the situation on the ground in Bombay isnt as people make it out to be.

In recent times, alot of attention has been brought to our problems but these have existed for quite a while. If anything the situation has gotten better.

Misconceptions:
1) There aren't as many slums as ppl are talking/writing about. While the statistic of 60% of Bombay lives in slums may be true (which I doubt), I would like to remind everyone that doesnt mean 60% of Bombay is covered in slums!! that figure is high but probably closer to 5%.

2) There aren't beggars everywhere! In fact contrary to what the article suggests, Its difficult to find a beggar in the airport area! In all my 10+ trips back to Bombay in the last 4 years, I have never encountered beggars waiting for me at the arrival gates.

3) Only in the worst case scenario does it take 2 hrs to reach from the Airport to South Bombay. Either the guy in the article is talking about Lonavala or he doesnt know what he's talking about. 2hrs is possible, but its certainly not the norm!!

4) Whatever anyone might want to say I've been to Bangalore, Delhi, Calcutta, Chandigarh Jaipur, Pune... which are all great places but Bombay is still the most developed and most modern city amongst these.

Unfortunately, we are presented with information written by ppl who come to Bombay for a couple of days or who hear stories from their friends and write articles as if they are all knowing of the functioning of the city. Its like a child saying "there is no such thing as real love" they simply havent experienced it yet.


There is a tendency to exaggerate when it comes to numbers when it comes to India.

When 90,000 shanties were demolished, I wonder who was keeping count of how many people were losing a roof. People (including activists/media/ngos)just started making up numbers ranging from 100,000 to 300,000. But only 2000 people came out to protest when led by Medha Patkar.

As per activist Arputham Jockin (http://www.indianngos.com/interviews/arputhamjockin.htm) 60 per cent are urban poor living in slums, chawls, dilapidated buildings. Of this 60 per cent, 40 per cent live in slums. While 30 per cent of the slums are regularised, still 10 per cent slum dwellers are illegally occupying the land in Mumbai. Not too long ago the Governor of Maharshtra said the same thing. That is 40% of 60% live in slums. But the media just made it 60%!

On the other hand as per census of India 5,823,510 of 11,914,398 people of Greater Mumbai [Brihan Mumbai] live in slums. That's almost 50%!

Then the NGO's claim that slums cover less than 10% of Mumbai's land area.
So it would mean that 5,823,510 people live on less than 10% area.Assuming Greater Mumbai is about 600 sq kms that's 6 million people in 60 sq kms which is 100,000 people per sq km.

What is Dharavi's population? 600000 or 1000000? No one seems to know for sure. But everybody is ready to claim a number.

Suketu Mehta of Maximum City fame claims ‘‘Some parts of central Bombay have a population density of one million people per square mile. This is the highest number of individuals massed together at any spot in the world. They are not equally dispersed across the island. Two-thirds of the city’s residents are crowded into just 5 per cent of the total area, while the richer or more rent-protected one-third monopolise the 95 per cent.’’

Do you think Suketu Mehta is correct?

I think as a first step they should conduct a special census for Mumbai to find out the truth of Mumbai's population.

Next they should carry out aerial surveys to find out the extent of slum spread.

Unless there is accurate data, how can a problem be tackled?

And it is not Mumbai alone. Even in case of Kolkata it is puzzling.

Kolkata's official population [2001] is 4,580,544 of which 1,490,811 people live in slums. Of 51 towns and cities [covering all the major urban areas of West Bengal] reporting slums population, total population is 14,250,720 of which 3,822,309 live in slums.

But the UN and CINI (NGO) speaks of 5.5 million slum dwellers in just Kolkata only!

No one knows for sure what is the truth and no one is bothered or raises any questions. Everyone just takes the hand me down notes. No "investigative" journalism here. No questions asked.

I would like to place my bets on the census rather than the UN or NGOs or missionaries.

Agreed Sun,

I was reading the article you posted and at first I was interested but then I became skeptical once he talked about the drive from the Int'l airport to South Bombay being 2hrs. Which is as I stated factually incorrect. Its definately not the average time!! My pt being, am I as someone who has lived in Bombay for 18+ yrs a more creditable source than a journalist who decided to write an article about a city and country he doensnt understand.

Don't get me wrong, I know we have our problems but when you read that article about my city, Bombay comes across as being hell. Like any big city anywhere in the world its not perfect but its definately not hell! To be quite frank, I would rather my kids grew up in Bombay than most places around the 'developed' world. (not that I have any currently :))

PS - Another factually incorrect statement is the lack of IT companies in Bombay.

There aren't as many slums as ppl are talking/writing about. While the statistic of 60% of Bombay lives in slums may be true (which I doubt), I would like to remind everyone that doesnt mean 60% of Bombay is covered in slums!! that figure is high but probably closer to 5%.

Then the NGO's claim that slums cover less than 10% of Mumbai's land area.
So it would mean that 5,823,510 people live on less than 10% area.Assuming Greater Mumbai is about 600 sq kms that's 6 million people in 60 sq kms which is 100,000 people per sq km.

Don't you guys think that the figure is a percentage of total land as opposed to percentage of habitable land. Considering that significant tracts are held up by National Park, Airport, Defense, Port Trust, CRZ, Industries/Offices, Utilities (road, rail, pipelines, bijlee etc). If its none of the above, more likely its a slum than anything else. And since the aam aadmi doesnt make use of the held up land the other predominant view is the slum. And that makes up about half the available habitable land.

But the UN and CINI (NGO) speaks of 5.5 million slum dwellers in just Kolkata only!

Sun, some of the govt buildings inspite of being legal residences are so dilapidated, they are no better than slums. Where as the govt would exclude them from slum count, the UN probably would not. And then there is the difference in quantifying what is a slum and what is not. The UN because of its heavy western/rich influence would have a higher threshold.

Its difficult to find a beggar in the airport area! In all my 10+ trips back to Bombay in the last 4 years, I have never encountered beggars waiting for me at the arrival gates.

Uber are you talking about CSI airport? Check out departure area, can't miss them dude. 2 trips, 10+ CHILD beggars harassing white cabin crew. The crew seemed to be very well prepared to face the situation. Handed out candies as soon as they got down. 2 havaldars busy in their paan/chai paani activities .. at the cost of killing the proverbial goose that lays golden eggs. But who cares?

^ true that
Some of the govt buildings stink like hell .
Have you ever been to some RTO or say local BMC office .

---

Its true people especially outsiders , foreigners tend to exaggerate the poverty statistics , lets not be disillusioned here .......There are sooooooo many slums in bombay in almost every suburb where your maids or kamwalas stay. And it keeps on growing every day due to influx of labourers from other states esp. UP n bihar .
We have to stop them or else there is no point in the ongoing slum rehabilations .

And then there is Slum suburb Dharavi
Bang in the middle of bombay
Go north or south or east and you cant escape Dharavi so that all visitors can get a glimpse of the notorious neighbourhood

We have a long way to go .

Another thing is we all lack civic sense . Spit that paan . throw the garbage anywhere as long as its outside our doors .Even the educated lot (including me :D) . Amazing how we all become well-mannered abroad .
Bribing is another art we all end up mastering . How many havaldars have we bribed ?

The traffic is chaotic in suburbs

Our AIrport ! lets not talk about it

Local trains ! Dare to travel in 2nd class compartment on CST-Thane local at peak hours ?

Just jealous how cool and peaceful those smaller cities are like Vizhag

Continuing the debate on perceptions about India in the foreign media, one must keep in mind this rule: First Impression is the Last impression! You cannot blame the publication if beggars and unending delays is what the reporter has encountered on his visit. Obviously, the first time visitior is bound to be critical and stringent in measuring, but as his stay progresses, he might change his opinion? And mind you, this requires a lengthy timestay. Let's look at this perception issue from a different angle - an Indian one: If an Indian travels to a foreign destination in North America or Europe, he's bound to encounter everything that has been marketed to him. The cities in these countries are good for the first impression; however it's another matter altogether that once, you have been there for sometime you get to know the underbelly of the city.

Therefore, one must concede that travel reporting is only a First and Final Impression Game! Convincing the traveller is all it takes for positive reporting, knowing fully well that every urban conglomeration on this planet has its ugly underbelly. Mumbai and the rest of Indian megacities suffer, because the exposure of there ugliness is too stark and too obvious, which hits as the first impression! Solving this impression issue is a political and policy problem, which we have failed to answer uptil now.

I found this humorous article in
http://independent-bangladesh.com/news/apr/16/16042005ed.htm

Ban the lift, lower the river

ROBERT CLEMENTS (clements@vsnl.com)

'Don't raise the bridge, lower the river..'

Some years ago I wrote a play where a man is stuck in a lift midway between floors. The stage shows the makeshift lift and the man desperately crying out for help inside. People come to him and through the grill offer suggestions. Some tell him to pull this lever and others to press a switch but to no avail. Finally a minister comes along. He looks at the man inside then turns to the public and says that he has got a solution, "Ban lifts!" he shouts, "so that such accidents will never happen again." The scene ends with the people outside cheering as the minister walks away and the man inside the lift crying out and finally falling down with exhaustion.

Mumbai witnessed a fire a few days ago in a thirty one -storey building, Sagar Sangeet. Luckily everybody but the husband of the late actress Nutan escaped; but now there is a hue and cry from politicians as to why permission is being given to builders to construct skyscrapers, since the fireman's snorkel can reach only fourteen floors..!

In other words instead of working on getting a longer snorkel or modernising the fire department, or getting safety systems inside the structures, we are told to reduce the size of our buildings to within the reach of the fireman's antique arm!

I wonder how the New York skyline would have looked had such political leaders existed. The Empire State Building was constructed in 1931. It was built during the height of the Great Depression. It has one hundred and three floors and has a special water system that feeds 400 fire hose connections throughout the building.

This was seventy three years ago..!

Today with the world having changed so dramatically in the last twenty years we still behave like people from the medieval ages. Instead of encouraging progress and having safety norms that will support the moving forward process we pull progress down to our ridiculous levels. "Ban the lift! Ban the lift!" we shout.

Ban skyscrapers!

Ban bridges because floods may sweep them away!

Ban motorways because accidents increase!

Ban freedom because it can be misused..!

I would like to see one traffic policeman who apprehends a motorist for cutting lanes on a highway. I would like to see when the pedestrians who cross at every point on a main road are restrained from doing so.

Instead we have less roads..!

I remember that play so well. "Help!" cries the man trapped in the lift.

"Ban the lift!" shouts the politician.

"Let me out of here!" shouts the man.

"Use the stairs!" says the politician.

The people cheer him as they start walking up and down the stairs. Today we walk when we can run, crawl when we can fly, stoop when we can walk tall, because we have allowed our progress to be curtailed by governments who don't want to govern, but get elected just to fill their party coffers..!

"Ban the lift! Ban the lift!" they shout, and we cheer them as we use the stairs..!

^^ funny article:) :)

On new towns of international standards

The realities of overburdened infrastructure and costs of urbanisation call for a planned approach.

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=89981

ahem......Building another Shanghai perhaps needs a little more planning than the netas envisioned....

Mumbai slum demolition drive abandoned (http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?slug=Mumbai+slum+demolition+drive+abandoned&id=72679)

^ W T H

:eek2:

ahem......Building another Shanghai perhaps needs a little more planning than the netas envisioned....

Mumbai slum demolition drive abandoned (http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?slug=Mumbai+slum+demolition+drive+abandoned&id=72679)

Well it is simple.. If they don't take decisive action, then Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai will surpass Mumbai. India's most iconic city will keep on crumbling.

Big thanks to the netas, of course. :(

ahem......Building another Shanghai perhaps needs a little more planning than the netas envisioned....

Mumbai slum demolition drive abandoned (http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?slug=Mumbai+slum+demolition+drive+abandoned&id=72679)

Very true. Just when a guy comes along with some kind of vision, the people at the helm do everything in their power to make his job impossible, just to hide their own incompetence. I dont know if this will change in even the next 20 - 30 years, if at all. There are some new measure brought out by MMS and company, to make babus more accountable, but i dont see that working.
Things WILL happen in Mumbai albeit at a snail's pace, but that is the reality we all have to live with, sadly

Why am I not surprised :ohno:

Very true. Just when a guy comes along with some kind of vision, the people at the helm do everything in their power to make his job impossible, just to hide their own incompetence. I dont know if this will change in even the next 20 - 30 years, if at all. There are some new measure brought out by MMS and company, to make babus more accountable, but i dont see that working.
Things WILL happen in Mumbai albeit at a snail's pace, but that is the reality we all have to live with, sadly

I wouldnt say all is lost due to the slum demolition coming to a pause.

As long as measures are taken to ensure that the ones cleaned up are maintained and the appropriate individuals are given alternate housing, I think things will go decently well.

You have to remember that while for us, nicely sitting in our homes, demolitions are a welcome change in Mumbai, there was a very large social impact of the event.

They should concentrate now on the demolitions of illegal commercial structures, which I beleive is still in full swing.

I wouldnt say all is lost due to the slum demolition coming to a pause.

As long as measures are taken to ensure that the ones cleaned up are maintained and the appropriate individuals are given alternate housing, I think things will go decently well.

You have to remember that while for us, nicely sitting in our homes, demolitions are a welcome change in Mumbai, there was a very large social impact of the event.

They should concentrate now on the demolitions of illegal commercial structures, which I beleive is still in full swing.

Exactly Uber. the key word is rehabilitation. And from what I can see, the state Government has been absolutely mum.

I said it before and I'll say it again, they need to come up with a good rehabilitation plan and stick to it. No matter what their circumstance, slum dwellers deserve as much respect and consideration from the Government as we expect for ourselves.

Further, what is not well recognized is that while the slums are 'illegal', the slum dwellers are not largely squatters (though there are some of them too), but have paid for their small patch of land. Often, their entire life savings have gone into 'purchasing' the small piece of land. The transaction was not above board, of course, but the bigger blame has to go to the officials who not just allowed it to happen under their noses, but got healthy cuts from the proceeds. On the one hand, there is a need to show compassion and on the other, all past officials in charge of this should be prosecuted. Such an action will also ensure that no illegal settlements come up in future.

But I must be dreaming. Since those in charge of bringing these past officials to book are themselves involved in this very lucrative trade. Leave aside the political compulsions (slum vote bank), there are huge economic interests also involved. Soniaji did not stop the demolitions because of compassion, as she makes it out to be. It is because of vested interests, who will stand to lose a lot if the demolitions go through fully and are extended to illegal commercial structures with full gusto.

In any case, there is still hope, because of a few honest people.

what need urgent overhauling are the archaic land laws that totally prevent low-cost rental housing to come up. or indeed any kind of new rental housing or incentive to maintain buildings. if slum-dwellers had that option they wouldnt need to pay slumlords for living in appalling conditions

i know so many people in prime south bombay properties who pay rents of a few rupees a month for flats measuring hundreds of square feet

the phasing out of rent control needs to be speeded up and ulca needs to be repealed. not to mention relaxation of crz

to the best of my knowledge, all seem to be just renders speaking nothing of their existence, that do not match with what India has in stock,
each one seems to be just picked up from some foreign collaborator..

Does any1 have some day views ??

We need something newer and better to compete in the ground where we have just started the race.

what need urgent overhauling are the archaic land laws that totally prevent low-cost rental housing to come up. or indeed any kind of new rental housing or incentive to maintain buildings. if slum-dwellers had that option they wouldnt need to pay slumlords for living in appalling conditions

i know so many people in prime south bombay properties who pay rents of a few rupees a month for flats measuring hundreds of square feet

the phasing out of rent control needs to be speeded up and ulca needs to be repealed. not to mention relaxation of crz

Well said
Rent control act, Urban land ceiling act and CRZ needs to be amended.

high FSI should be provided for commercial structures in the CBDs such as Bandra-Kurla, Parel (Mid-town Bombay), Nariman Point, Vashi and Belapur. I understand that raising FSI for the entire city would put alot of stress on the infrastructure, but atleast in the CBDs we need to have a high FSI for commercial structures!

higher FSI should be granted for residential buildings in areas where the infrastructure can handle the additional stress.

Things like the WEH & EEH being converted into freeways are some infrastructure projects that will make rising the FSI even more feasible for more areas! (Sridhar, i hope you havent lost interest in that project :))

In Bombay, we need more places to live and work to take care of our most daunting issues such as high property costs (which drive away companies and create slums)

Dont know when the government will realise this. More than anything else, these archaic land laws coupled with stunted FSI is what's holding Bombay back!!

The grossly myopic vision of our government sometimes frustrates me!

Anyone interested in this topic, please read this article. Sure Sun actually posted this here a while ago
http://alain-bertaud.com/AB_Files/AB_Mumbai_FSI_conundrum.pdf

realise this? what makes you think they dont realise it? but after putting it off for almost 60 years getting rid of rent control is not going to be easy. ulca is not really a political problem, they can quite easily repeal it. but rent control? people will be out in the streets. the amount of upheaval will be crazy

but someone has to bite the bullet. will need a much stronger cm than the present one to do it

i think the next 3-4 years will by and large determine bombay's future to a large extent. mutp II, muip, bandra-worli, worli-nariman pt, nhava-sewree, international airport, domestic airport, metro rail, new bombay sez, new bombay airport are all supposed to be in various stages of implementation/completion. if most of them are successful we will have a city to be proud of. hope it all works out and some more changes take place in laws and attitudes

realise this? what makes you think they dont realise it? but after putting it off for almost 60 years getting rid of rent control is not going to be easy. ulca is not really a political problem, they can quite easily repeal it. but rent control? people will be out in the streets. the amount of upheaval will be crazy

but someone has to bite the bullet. will need a much stronger cm than the present one to do it

Yes, socially, reappealing the rent control act would be a nightmare. I don't know if you've read about the new property tax laws that may come into effect in Bombay. It seems to be an attempt to reverse the effect of the rent control act as well as rake in greater revenues for the state.

Google it, if your interested in property in Bombay, this might be something to follow.

i think the next 3-4 years will by and large determine bombay's future to a large extent. mutp II, muip, bandra-worli, worli-nariman pt, nhava-sewree, international airport, domestic airport, metro rail, new bombay sez, new bombay airport are all supposed to be in various stages of implementation/completion. if most of them are successful we will have a city to be proud of. hope it all works out and some more changes take place in laws and attitudes

Agreed.

But of concern is the fact that all these projects seem to rollout in a piece meal fashion. For example, take the new flyovers that are proposed to be built around the city. No one bothers about doing an analysis of the traffic flow, projecting future traffic trends or even building a cohesive strategy of road connectivity in the city.

Our city has many problems and inspite of having plenty of brilliant minds to come up with innovate solutions to these problems, no one is willing think BIG!

In my eyes Bombay is already a great city. Maybe this greatness is only apparent to residents from a certain strata of society. But in order for this greatness to be appreciated by everyone, we must think and act BIG!

The projects you mentioned, along with policy reform will one day make this city the greatest in the world. Lets not blindly copy any one city in this endevour, to acheive this, we should use best practices from the local and international community along with our greatest resource of all, the brainpower of our people. Lets come up with innovative solutions for our unique problems!

More mill land free in Mumbai (http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage.php?hpFlag=Y&chklogin=N&autono=188677&leftnm=lmnu2&leftindx=2&lselect=0)

n what could ease the availability of real estate in Mumbai, the Supreme Court today cleared the decks for the development of seven mill land properties of the National Textile Corporation as well as those private mill lands that already possess commencement certificates issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

As a result of the order, NTC’s Kohinoor Mill No 3, Jupiter Mill, Elphinstone Mill, Mumbai Mill and Apollo Mill can start redevelopment operations.

In addition, NTC will hand over the Hindoostan Mills 3 and 4 as well as the New Hind Textile Mill properties to the BMC and the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority.

It is estimated that some 60 textile mills, most of which closed down after prolonged strikes in the last two decades, own close to 600 acres in the heart of the metropolis. A large portion of this land is expected to be taken over for development by real estate developers.

A senior functionary of the Delhi-based DLF Group said the decision opened up new possibilities for the group, which was looking at expanding in Mumbai. “These are good land baskets and will soon be available for development,” he said.

Agreed.

But of concern is the fact that all these projects seem to rollout in a piece meal fashion. For example, take the new flyovers that are proposed to be built around the city. No one bothers about doing an analysis of the traffic flow, projecting future traffic trends or even building a cohesive strategy of road connectivity in the city.

Our city has many problems and inspite of having plenty of brilliant minds to come up with innovate solutions to these problems, no one is willing think BIG!

In my eyes Bombay is already a great city. Maybe this greatness is only apparent to residents from a certain strata of society. But in order for this greatness to be appreciated by everyone, we must think and act BIG!

The projects you mentioned, along with policy reform will one day make this city the greatest in the world. Lets not blindly copy any one city in this endevour, to acheive this, we should use best practices from the local and international community along with our greatest resource of all, the brainpower of our people. Lets come up with innovative solutions for our unique problems!

i agree bombay is a great city (some might say india's only real city ;)). but we definitely need to improve its infrastructure and 'liveability'. these are just the major projects, but the smaller ones are just as important. pavements, small parks, trees, solid-waste management, etc. i have great hope for this city, its part of the territory of being a bombayite, and like you hope it becomes the greatest city in the world in some time

yeah i heard about the new property taxes also. its been all over the papers the last few months. it is a major step forward in correcting the skewed land market in operation presently. in a year or two it would probably be the right time to also amend the rent control act once again

This was on the news in the US. Mumbai electric building was burned by riot or something. Also, until summer end, Mumbai will have 8 hour power cuts.

Crisis makes Cong see reason: no free power


Poll sop goes as acute power shortage hits Maharashtra


EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE


Posted online: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 at 0207 hours IST



MUMBAI, MAY 10: Hit by an unprecedented power shortage and pressure from the Centre, the Congress-led government in Maharashtra today decided to pull the plug on the free power scheme it introduced in the run-up to the last Assembly polls.

Instead, 25 lakh farmers in the state will now be supplied power at subsidised rates. The decision takes effect from June 1.



‘‘Circumstances have forced us to take the decision,’’ said Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, adding, ‘‘The Cabinet has reached a consensus not to give anything free in future.’’ Deshmukh admitted that the scheme has resulted in wastage of power with farmers drawing excess water, which in turn caused groundwater tables to dip.

The scheme, introduced just before the Assembly elections in October 2004, was a poll plank for the ruling Congress-NCP combine in the face of rising anti-incumbency sentiment.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar had publicly criticised the sop from the outset.

Its impact on finances was considerable.

Till April 2004, the debt-ridden state had to pay Rs 1,722 crore to the MSEB to supply free power since the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) does not allow the board to give subsidies or sops to any section unless the government pays for it.

Faced with a shortfall of over 3,500 MW and public resentment fuelled by the Opposition, the state had recently sought help from the Centre to resolve the crisis. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a strong critic of the scheme, had then asked the Maharashtra Government to scrap it to qualify for Central assistance.

Announcing the decision, Deshmukh insisted that by offering electricity at subsidised rates, ‘‘the government would continue to assist marginal farmers, who need it most.’’

There are over 25 lakh agricultural connections in the state and the government will pay MSEB about Rs 1,200 crore every year to compensate for the subsidy. Still, it will manage to save up to Rs 500 crore lost on the free power scheme. Plus check reckless use of electricity and water. ‘‘We want farmers to use both rationally,’’ said Deshmukh.

However, Opposition parties, Shiv Sena and BJP, are crying foul. ‘‘The government has cheated people. Sena will resort to a statewide agitation,’’ declared Sena leader Narayan Rane.

In a joint statement tonight, BJP leaders Pramod Mahajan and Gopinath Munde alleged that the government had tried to shift the blame for the electricity shortage on farmers and dared it to seek a fresh mandate. ‘‘They had won the election with a promise that farmers would be supplied free power,’’ the statement said. An urgent meeting of the state BJP has been called to chalk out the party’s future course of action.

Free power will now be replaced by two optional ways of paying electricity bills:

• If farmers decide to set up meters on their supply lines, rates would range from 20 paise per unit for up to 3 horsepower and 50 paise/unit beyond that.

• If the old pattern of calculating on the basis of horsepower (HP)—instead of meters—is used, it would be Rs 500 per HP for upto 3 HP, Rs 700/HP upto 5 HP and Rs 900/HP for over 5 HP.

Though costlier compared to the metered bill, the second method is being encouraged by the government so that it would help in energy audits, said Deshmukh.

The State Cabinet also cleared four new power projects today and allowed cooperative banks to invest money in MSEB’s energy projects. MSEB will install the facilities at its gas-based plant in Uran (for expansion to 1,040 MW), Talegaon-Dabhade (new gas-based unit of 1,400 MW), Khaparkheda (for expansion of thermal unit of 500 MW) and a pit-headed thermal project (where coal is available) in association with the Chhattisgarh board.

http://www.indianexpress.com/full_coverage.php?coverage_id=65
that website has coverage on the issue

This was on the news in the US. Mumbai electric building was burned by riot or something. Also, until summer end, Mumbai will have 8 hour power cuts.

no buildings have been burnt by riots in bombay. there were attacks on some mseb officials near nagpur. bombay itself doesnt have power cuts, its power is supplied by private companies and has had an islanding system for a very long time, at least more than 10 years, so that 24 hours power supply is guaranteed at all times. the last major power cuts i think were during the 1971 war

in the rest of maharahstra though urban areas are witnessing 3-4 power cuts daily and rural from 6-10 hours

and if that was in the news in the us, then i have to say they dont have very well-informed journalists

BTW, does anyone know when the first highrise of Hiranandani Gardens was built?

I vividly remember when I first when to India in 95 as a little kid, we took a trip to IIT Mumbai, and on the way back at night thru what I now know as Powai, I saw a couple really, really classy ivory looking highrises going up in seemingly the middle of a virgin jungle. It was shocking to suddenly come across a floodlit, gleaming looking highrise which still had construction workers doing their think even when it was dark.

Now that I think about this, this must be the Hiranandani development

meanwhile in IHT.

Mumbai wrangles with how it will define itself (http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/05/18/news/india.php)