The order of the day seems to be corporate scam; political scam; falling buildings; illegal building; unsafe buildings; women
getting gang raped; senior citizens getting murdered; people falling off from over
crowded trains and buses; ATMs and jewellery shops being robbed; and the rich influential boys
and girls partying the night away on alcohol and drugs if not killing or maiming people with their speeding cars. The people of this City are angry with the whole situation, right from the artificially rising costs and diminishing supply of food and utilities; the broken down infrastructure (which is paid for by taxpayers from this city itself); to the open greed by public servants (who are paid for by taxpayers from this city itself) to do any part of their job. Large corporates are considering moving out lock stock barrel to the Delhi NCR and even the remaining industries are moving out of here to profit from the high real estate prices.
The City is full of contradictions. A new world class airport surrounded by a slum that poses a security and safety hazard to every plane that takes off or lands. A new monorail and metro system that is supposed to ease travel woes in the City and a local rail system that serves as a lifeline and life taker for the commuter. Expensive multi-million dollar high rise apartments with access from pot holed congested roads that would not allow any emergency service to access it in case of an eventuality; and connected to a dated utility infrastructure. A bullock cart using the same road as a Rolls Royce. The City has and will continue to live with such situations as long as their was some sanity in the system. The situation now close to a complete system breakdown where to get anything or do anything one requires money and more money. Even the honest middle class is now feeling poor and that is where the tipping point starts. The Bombay of "dreams" has become a Mumbai of nightmare.
The City is a global mega city and has to be dealt as one. It needs more open spaces; more civic amenities; places to entertain and be entertained; better public transportation; guaranteed utility supply; laws, rules and regulations tailored to be more more exacting; and a security system that respects and looks after the people and not just a privileged few.
Will this discontent that is brewing start off a revolution for a Statehood? The Bombay State was once the largest with a reach all the way to Sindh; it's ambition now would be a much smaller more manageable region covering the Greater Mumbai, Thane-Kalyan, and Raigad collectorates. If not an AAP will we see a BAP "Bombay Admi Party" emerge from the shadows and throw up a surprise to reclaim its right to survive and grow. It's often when there is a sense of complacency amongst those in power when such things happen; and the clock now is just about ready to ring.
“Development is about transforming the lives of people, not just transforming economies.”
― Joseph E. Stiglitz, Making Globalization Work
Wikipedia 2009:
Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the entertainment, fashion and commercial centre of India. It is also one of the world's top 10 centres of commerce in terms of global financial flow,[1] Mumbai accounts for slightly more than 6.16% of India's economy contributing 10% of factory employment, 30% of income tax collections, 60% of customs dutycollections, 20% of central excise tax collections, 40% of foreign trade and rupees 40,000 crore (US $10 billion) in corporate taxes to the Indian economy.[2] Headquarters of a number of Indian financial institutions such as the Bombay Stock Exchange, Reserve Bank of India, National Stock Exchange, the Mint, as well as numerous Indian companies such as the Tata Group, Essel Group and Reliance Industries are located in Mumbai. Most of these offices are located in downtown South Mumbai which is the nerve centre of the Indian economy. Many foreign establishments also have their branches in the South Bombay area. Mumbai is the world's 29th largest city by GDP.[3] Mumbai was ranked among the fastest cities in India for business startup in 2009.[4] As of 2009-10, Mumbai enjoys a Per Capita Income of $2,845. This is 16.6% higher than 2008-09 levels of $2,440. In PPP dollars, Mumbai had a Per Capita Income of $7,050 as of 2009-10 fiscal. In the recent years Mumbai is experiencing rapid growth. By 2020-21 fiscal, Mumbai's GDP Per capita at PPP is expected to reach US$ 23,000, making it South Asia's richest city[citation needed].
The City is full of contradictions. A new world class airport surrounded by a slum that poses a security and safety hazard to every plane that takes off or lands. A new monorail and metro system that is supposed to ease travel woes in the City and a local rail system that serves as a lifeline and life taker for the commuter. Expensive multi-million dollar high rise apartments with access from pot holed congested roads that would not allow any emergency service to access it in case of an eventuality; and connected to a dated utility infrastructure. A bullock cart using the same road as a Rolls Royce. The City has and will continue to live with such situations as long as their was some sanity in the system. The situation now close to a complete system breakdown where to get anything or do anything one requires money and more money. Even the honest middle class is now feeling poor and that is where the tipping point starts. The Bombay of "dreams" has become a Mumbai of nightmare.
The City is a global mega city and has to be dealt as one. It needs more open spaces; more civic amenities; places to entertain and be entertained; better public transportation; guaranteed utility supply; laws, rules and regulations tailored to be more more exacting; and a security system that respects and looks after the people and not just a privileged few.
Will this discontent that is brewing start off a revolution for a Statehood? The Bombay State was once the largest with a reach all the way to Sindh; it's ambition now would be a much smaller more manageable region covering the Greater Mumbai, Thane-Kalyan, and Raigad collectorates. If not an AAP will we see a BAP "Bombay Admi Party" emerge from the shadows and throw up a surprise to reclaim its right to survive and grow. It's often when there is a sense of complacency amongst those in power when such things happen; and the clock now is just about ready to ring.
“Development is about transforming the lives of people, not just transforming economies.”
― Joseph E. Stiglitz, Making Globalization Work
Wikipedia 2009:
Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the entertainment, fashion and commercial centre of India. It is also one of the world's top 10 centres of commerce in terms of global financial flow,[1] Mumbai accounts for slightly more than 6.16% of India's economy contributing 10% of factory employment, 30% of income tax collections, 60% of customs dutycollections, 20% of central excise tax collections, 40% of foreign trade and rupees 40,000 crore (US $10 billion) in corporate taxes to the Indian economy.[2] Headquarters of a number of Indian financial institutions such as the Bombay Stock Exchange, Reserve Bank of India, National Stock Exchange, the Mint, as well as numerous Indian companies such as the Tata Group, Essel Group and Reliance Industries are located in Mumbai. Most of these offices are located in downtown South Mumbai which is the nerve centre of the Indian economy. Many foreign establishments also have their branches in the South Bombay area. Mumbai is the world's 29th largest city by GDP.[3] Mumbai was ranked among the fastest cities in India for business startup in 2009.[4] As of 2009-10, Mumbai enjoys a Per Capita Income of $2,845. This is 16.6% higher than 2008-09 levels of $2,440. In PPP dollars, Mumbai had a Per Capita Income of $7,050 as of 2009-10 fiscal. In the recent years Mumbai is experiencing rapid growth. By 2020-21 fiscal, Mumbai's GDP Per capita at PPP is expected to reach US$ 23,000, making it South Asia's richest city[citation needed].
Disclaimer: This is a personal blog and while it is in public domain my personal property and written under the rights conferred upon its Citizens by The Constitution of India; which provides the right to freedom, given in articles 19, 20, 21 and 22, with the view of guaranteeing individual rights that were considered vital by the framers of the constitution. The right to freedom in Article 19 guarantees the Freedom of speech and expression, as one of following six freedoms:[1]
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