Hiranandani Gardens

Hiranandani Gardens is a large upmarket residential township extending over 100 hectares amidst the Powai hills and beside the scenic Powai Lake. Developed on what was once agricultural and forest land, this suburban area was rapidly developed with modern high-rise buildings that have easy access to shopping, education, business, health, luxury hotels and recreation. Other similar estates have also sprung up in the vicinity which is flanked by a national park and several leading educational institutions that have vast campuses. Today Powai area continues to face rapid development and densification, both of which are a threat to the lake and surrounding green spaces.

Textile Mills District

Mumbai’s economic growth in the late 19th century is directly linked to the rise of its textile industry. The city came to be called the “Manchester of the East”, due to its rapid industrialisation and large working class inhabitants. The textile mills of the time were developed as compact integrated settlements. Workers lived around each mill in provided housing – over time; each cluster evolved a diverse assemblage of economic, social and cultural resources. Most of the mills were in the city’s central districts, and were instrumental in building the current density and urban fabric of Mumbai.

A typical residential style of this period is the “chawl”: a midrise block of flats with shared or common balcony space. Over the years, the chawl progressed to become a distinct form of affordable housing suitable for Mumbai. But like the mills, the chawl too is giving way to high-rise living.

Saifee Burhani Upliftment Project

Bhendi Bazaar is home to the close-knit Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community which first settled here in the 19th century. The area is now overcrowded and most of the buildings are in disrepair. The Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT) has proposed an entire district-scale redevelopment project to transform the congested locality into a modern sustainable neighbourhood yet maintaining the community’s religious and cultural character.

This non-profit community initiative is one of the largest urban redevelopment projects in India. The planned proposal covers 7 hectares, 4000 households, 2000 shops, and over 300 buildings, while conserving all of the existing religious structures. The project will re-settle all current inhabitants into modern units financed by the sale of additional built units, and will improve civic space with wide roads, open spaces, and modern infrastructure.

Mobile Workshop Facilitators: Neera Adarkar and Prasad Shetty