Uploaded on 2017-05-30 by Adnya Naik

This Images is captured from my apartment located in the Elphinstone area of Central Mumbai. Mumbai is a city of contradictions. High rise buildings housing millionaires are situated next to sprawling slums. Mumbai generates a continuum of destruction & construction. What is visible? This image depicts how Mumbai is slowly developing its skyline by constructing high rise structures in sync with its traditional housing systems called Chawls. The Elphinstone flyover serves as the only major route connecting south Mumbai to central Mumbai. There are many trees in the central part of the city, but as one transits towards the southern part of the city the tree cover reduces drastically. What is Invisible? 1. Informal slums are gradually being replaced by formal settlements. This exhibits the success of the government to provide land, water, sanitation facilities & utilities to its citizens thereby raising the standard of living. 2. High density housing schemes are undertaken in small land parcels. High density Mumbai promotes a sense of diversity, social unity & cultural growth. Also, compact city essentially means mixed use which allows people to live near their work place & leisure facilities. 3. Mumbai has its focus merely in accommodating high densities. In this it lacks vital urban design issues like public open spaces, green parks & pedestrian friendly streets that offer mental & physical well-being to its citizens. 4. Central & Northern areas of Mumbai possess insufficient road & public transport networks resulting in heavy traffic congestion during the working hours. A Mumbaikar on an average spends about 47.26 minutes commuting to work, which is higher than commuting time spent in Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, etc. 5. Mumbai needs re-zoning of the industrial areas which over the years have turned out to be a major cause of water & air pollution, health hazards in the urban hubs. Moreover, these areas transform into dead spaces and lead to crime spots thus reducing feeling of belonging to the locality.