An article in today's paper mentioned two mind boggling things about the Greater Mumbai area.
1. The population of 16 million is expected to go up to 32 million by 2031.
That's today's population of Uganda. That's almost today's population of Canada (34 million). That's just absurd.
2. The density per square meter of commuters in the 'crush hour' of Mumbai's commuter trains that ferry 6.9 million people every day - is 16. Yes, that is 16 bodies in 1 square meter of space.
No wonder that when there is even the tiniest bit of room to breathe - that people say 'the train is empty' (अरे गड्डी एक दम खली है).
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No we do not need more 'urban planning' - the plans are all there - but the pattern of the thrust and hustle of urban reality is just so completely different to what exists on the papers (especially the ones that are hidden in files piled up willy-nilly and cloaked with dust in various municipal offices).
Its no surprise that 'outsiders' are easily labelled as the cause of all of Mumbai's problems.
When will our people fly? When will we see a city of light instead of the grinding brutality of a city that Mumbai is?
'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.' Ezekiel 16.49
Its no surprise that 'outsiders' are easily labelled as the cause of all of Mumbai's problems.
When will our people fly? When will we see a city of light instead of the grinding brutality of a city that Mumbai is?
'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.' Ezekiel 16.49
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