URBAN GENTRIFICATION IN INDIA, MUMBAI

Smita Surin
Department of Planning and Architecture
National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha
Date: 13th October, 2020

ABSTRACT:
Gentrification is the process of renovating and development of Urban area in which
neighborhood develops rapidly over a short time which leads to inflated home price and
displacement of neighborhood's previous resident.
This paper brings out the effects of gentrification and concerns related with the process in India
with a case example of core city. It talks about unsustainability in India. In India it is
unsustainable on an environmental, social, cultural, political and economic level gentrification is
a controversial topic because of the number of both positive and negative impacts.

INTRODUCTION:
Gentrification is derived from the word “Gentry” Which means to increase the living standard of
the people. In UK, the term “Land Gentry” was used which can be described as land owners who
leave up the rental income from their properties. In present time gentrification was popularized
by British sociologist Ruth Glass in 1964, when she used the term influx of middle class people
into London’s working class neighborhoods displacing the previous resident of those localities.
In India cities near urban areas are experiencing various form of gentrification in the process of
urban renewal. It is a process to restructure the decline areas of the city it has more often
negative impact then positive due to the process in India. It has bad effects in ecological balance
which is the area of wilderness of both land and sea needed to Resources to human population
and to Human waste. In developed countries the decision makers renewed the entire urban area
once it attained a reasonable age. In such situation few of these western cities were entirely
restructured when demolished by natural or man made calamities. Fortunately India never
experienced such development and restructuring of its cities. But India is not an exception to it
now days. The global South is the new site of gentrifying and I’ve become the leading edge of
gentrification in India
LITERATURE:
It is important to distinguish the difference between gentrification, urban renewal an
urbanization these are similar terms which can be used interchangeably but has different
concepts and impacts gentrification is the arrival of the wealthier people in an urban area
increasing the rental value and property value and often changes the character and culture of the
idea Whereas urban renewal is the process of improving and developing of urban areas without
any relation to upper class it is the reconstruction Of dilapidated buildings and does not usually
include the change in function of the building. Urbanization refers to increase number of
population living in the urban areas It attempts to accommodate mass amount of people in urban
areas these patterns become intertwined and tend to go hand in hand urbanization can be
followed by urban renewal then by gentrification. Gentrification is set to be a global urban
strategy which illustrates today's interconnectedness of urbanization, urban renewal and
gentrification.

Effects of Gentrification
Gentrification is a strong forces for economic change in our cities but it the companies with
unnecessary and cultural shift. While it increases the value of properties in the areas that has
suffered from loss of, it also results in rising rents home and property values. As the rising cost
reduce the supply of housing for existing resident gentrification brings investment and
international brand to an area which effects the standard of living of the people. It has been seen
that gentrification also provide new job opportunities for the career aspirants And reduces the
crime rate in that area.

Environmental unsustainability
In India cities faced many challenges to provide basic necessities like living spaces, water for my
electricity and many more to a continuously growing population thus the increasing demand of
the basic necessities is forcing India major cities to expand beyond its capacity. On a global scale
when gentrification occurs, the individual have the financial freedom and ability to pay access to
clean running water, electricity and proper waste disposal. The focus is needed on the
environmental impacts of the displaced people you don't have the means to maintain sustainable
ways of living. The people have no choice but the move to the slums and they don't always have
the money to access clean water, electricity and proper waste disposal this result in garbage an
improper disposal of human waste into the streets nearby water bodies and land which negatively
contributes to the environment for example Mumbai lost 871 hectares of land to the growth of
slums in the city not only does the street and slum population contribute to the well being of the
environment, the quality of air , improper waste disposal and overflowing amounts of garbage,
they have serious impact on the health of this population. The Mumbai’s development is forcing
poor citizen to the outskirts in order to create housing for more affluent residents.

Economic unsustainability
Today India is being praised for its fastest growing economy in the world. Many migrants move
to the bustling and developing city in order to pursue careers and to find new opportunities. As
the Indian economy is growing there is a realizing that the wealth is not being shared. There are
small areas of bad planning where high end shopping malls are right beside large slum cities
which demonstrate the divide between the upper, wealthier class and lower, working class. In
India there is a belief that economic growth will be the solution to man of India’s issues related
to poverty. However during this current economic growth happening in India, gentrification is
happening more than ever which increase the social division in addition to many negative
impact. Now gentrification is not to be blamed for the wealth gap in India but it does provide a
visual of its impact it contributes to the wealth gap to the displacement of lower working class
which physically increases the space between rich and poor. It’s also contribute to inflation as
people move to urban centers close to downtown, transportation, good shopping and restaurant
become more desirable which increases the property value and cost of living in the urban areas.

Cultural unsustainability
From cultural view, the gentrification is ones that it is able to protect it neighborhood existing
physical heritage and culture. The cultural heritage is comprised of literature, poetry, performing
and visual arts and the physical heritage is the natural geographical and topographical features
along with manmade historical buildings many cities and local governments have taken steps to
protect its decaying historic. The attempt to preserve their physical heritage of areas attracted
upper class people who seek a rich and vibrant community although gentrification bring its own
cultural heritage like new art store and different music scene to an area but the reality is the
existing historic cultural diversity is lost behind a homogeneous western gentrification process.

Sustainability of Gentrification
With every positive aspect of gentrification there has been at least a one negative consequence
for it. There is no copybook method to deal with growing urbanization. Gentrification has many
negative impacts on the society, economy and culture of the Society. On every level there has to
be consideration of common people, maximizing space, economic profits to develop
sustainability. The state government needs to adopt sustainable urbanization policy that takes
factor in common people livelihood, preserve the cultural heritage of the people not for only
profit motive. There are housing strategies which is sustainable like house rent cap, in addition to
careful planning by city governments to consider all factors of gentrification. These processes
should aim to improve the living of the residents and eventually stop the large number of people
that are being sent into the street and slum neighborhoods to minimize that environmental
impact. On a national and regional scale, India needs to plan for the inevitable future
unpredictable and increased weather conditions. Proper evacuation procedures and rehabilitation
plans need be created to limit damage and increase recovery speed for both the upper and lower
class population. For flooding, the installation of technology can divert water and help cities deal
with future weather events. With such a large population and so many factors, India faces a huge
challenge as the rate of urbanization and gentrification continues to increase. There is no known
correct way to urbanize or develop sustainably. Dealing with the continuous increase of people
moving to urban centers is a learning process. As cities implement policies, urbanize and
gentrify, they need to be adaptive and listen to what is working and what is not. From there
adjustments need to be made to deal with unforeseen impacts, and keep a focus on the wellbeing
of the people and the environment. Cities need to change their priority of economic gain, as this
current goal is proven to be unsustainable on so many levels across urbanizing India through the
process of gentrification.

Table 1.Positive and negative impacts of gentrification

POSITIVE IMPACT NEGATIVE IMPACT
Higher incentive for property owner to Displacement through increased rent of
increase or improving housing land or housing
Reduction in crime Loss of affordable housing

Stabilization of declining area Commercial or industrial displacement

Increased property value Unsustainable property price

Increased consumer purchasing power in Displacement and housing demand

local business pressures on surrounding area
Reduced vacancy rates Community bitterness and conflict

Increases local fiscal revenue Homelessness increases

Reduce strain on local infrastructure and Increased cost and charges to local services
service
Increased social mix Loss of social diversity (due to disparity
from Rich class
Rehabilitation of property without state Under population and occupancy loss to
sponsorship gentrified area

Impact of gentrification in Mumbai

Mumbai was once the land of flourishing cotton textile mill. In 1982 in the process of
deindustrialization and prolonged strike of Mills which lasted for 2 years (1982-83).This leads to
redevelopment of the area with the emergence of the new landscape with service sectors, firms,
IT industries, creative sectors cheek by jowl shopping, high end restaurants, pubs, nightclubs,
fashion houses.
Modern architecture and world class design along with functionless cold chimneys are presently
standing on the Mills land. Ninety to hundred years old , high rises with gated community,
surrounding slums, slum redevelopment buildings along with the sale components off real estate
builders, and small scale manufacturing industries in the ex textile mill compound brought
heterogeneity to the area what was a initially mill land has transform to space plurality, a space
of contrast . The arrival of upwardly mobile middle class has an Spillover effect on the on the
neighborhood related to space, work and life. The the presence of different classes of people in
the same arena without complete displacement or substitution of one by the other transforms the
space and the process.

Early neighborhood before gentrification

In Mumbai there was a huge quantity of large and small mills in the area from the period of
industrialization of 19th century. There are a number of mill lands which has converted into
corporate offices and entertainment and art spaces. The different land area of Mills displays
heterogeneous neighborhood of multiple landscape and unique elements. It shows different
classes of people, working class residential buildings, high rises, a mixture of different economy,
non functional mills and mill compounds, collection of small-scale economies and mixing of
spaces which indicates transformation from its past. It is the conversion of space and everyday
life of the people associated with it with the advent of new capitalism, new economy and new
mode of production. Presently it is the new phase of capitalism that has captured the area and had
controlled by government or organizations its role making the neighborhood, old working class
chawls and indigenous social and urban practices vulnerable.

Redevelopment of the Mill land

The sudden generation of 600 acres of vacant land in the heart of the city with the closure of
Mills became a matter of speculation for the real estate builders, mill owners and government.
With the DC regulation act of 2001 the mill owners were allowed to demolish the mill structure
for redevelopment without any submission of land to the state for public purposes. Therefore
with this modified DC regulation, the owners’ share of the property increased. Immediately the
entire area of the kamla mill has been transformed into corporate offices. This leaves no space
for low-cost housing. The Phoenix mill was developed 4 high St Phoenix mall with two high
rises and leaving no space for low-cost housing and open. Casa grande “two ultra-luxury 23
storey buildings”has been constructed on Mautalya mill compound. In Morarajee mill unit 1 the
luxurious Ashoka tower came up by demolishing the Mill structure. Morarajee Unit 2 has been
transformed into an office complex on 400 acres of land which is about the size of six Nariman
points.

Effects on chawls
The development policy of making of Mumbai into a global city, there where number of chawls
on the process of redevelopment or were ready for redevelopment. The decision of
redevelopment depends on the society after taking consent of other. The real estate builders wait
till appropriate time approaches. In such cases it may be a minor decorative alteration or a large
scale replacement of structures. The term re development attached to it has greater influence. The
real estate builders, private investor and the land mafia started speculating a high amount of
profit from these areas by process of redevelopment of these slums and chawls. It gradually has
started losing its characteristic as an industrial area and began to transform itself into a post
industrial area. Thus actual ground rent and the potential ground rent became almost same and
prices became very high. Amidst The politics of the state and the real estate builders, dwellers of
the chawls Have to move away to other places for affordable and more space of living. Some of
the owners started to sell their home to real estate builders in order to earn huge money from the
builders the illegal tenancy the owner or the legal tenant of the home started to earn black money
from the gnu Commerce who are much more affluent. Soon the space turns into a place of
conflict an antagonism
The current land value is so high the builders are ready to render 50 to 60 Lac rupees to the
owners in order to vacate a single room After acquiring the land from the owners the builder
comes truck a building for the tenants of the chawls Providing all the provision As for the
demands of the resettle tenants but the main person of the land is used for constructing tall
residential high rises which are sold at much higher prices. Likewise the builder makes a huge
amount of profit. In the first step after demolishing .The tenants are shifted to temporary
accommodation. Sometimes the builders give a lump sum amount as per the Current rent. Many
of the tenants try to invest a person of that money and live in a place of lower rent and shift to
suburbs. The prime intention of the builders is to evict the dwellers to facilitate the process of as
they would always prefer to make a higher storey Building as sale component then the
development of towers. In order to procure, the builder makes an estimate of its value and offer
cash To its residents. Those who have less bargaining power either negotiate with builder or
Forced to leave the chawls .This process of shifting to the suburbs of the inner city neighborhood
does not need to complete displacement of working class people but with the astronomical
growth of the land value and increased bargaining capacity it further complicates the process of
negotiation. The builders pressurized the chawls Owners to undergo redevelopment by offering
heft amount. With the construction of the residential towers, Highland value eventually became
very lucrative for many chawls dwellers. Even in their utter despair, they look forward to the
rising land to gain profit but they think of avoiding the maintenance charges this dualistic
behavior off inhabitants makes the situation much graver an entrapment for many. Because of
the locational it gives an advantage from a neighborhood and its surrounding commercial space
has been taken over by transnational elites. The coming of international brands, international
food chains from my international stores in the area across the main road within the old mill
compound fortifies the global look.

Effect on slum
With each gated network and skyscraper that surfaces on the plant territories supplanting the
ghettos there is an improvement working for the dwellers. Sometimes the ghettos go for
Redevelopment on private possessed terrains for giving Lodging to qualified ghetto tenant can be
motivating force of state government through SRA (ghetto recovery authority) plans which is
otherwise called situ redevelopment. This sort of redevelopment it's somewhat unique in relation
to the traditional in situ redevelopment of ghettos.
The structures are built on that segment of the land where the ghettos were recently found.
Designers consequently increase an immense measure of benefit by giving free houses to ghetto
occupants and building extravagance lodging as a deal part on a similar land. All pioneers are not
qualified for this recovery extends just the individuals who can demonstrate persistent
occupation since 1995 meet all requirements for three turn of events. The tenants likewise need
to hold photograph personality cards so as to demonstrate their qualification.

Effect on fisher communities / Koliwadas

Important issues
1. Redevelopment: The urban koliwadas is located on the coasts, that it makes it the desired
part of the city. But these parts are in detoriated conditions, faces overcrowding, lack
adequate infrastructure, services, amenities and have poor sanitation. Because of which
these areas are pressurized to be eradicated by some certain forms of development. Lead
to threatening of eliminating these areas by certain forms of development to build
seafront and gardens for its beautification and to create public spaces.
2. Enclosure / privatization of common lands and resources: This threatens the existence of
the fishing villages as most of their necessary function takes places. Like drying of fishes,
boat docking, areas for boat maintenance, fishing infrastructure and some spaces relating
to community work.
3. Overcrowding: Koliwadas comprises of little land, though it accommodates newcomers
that come in search of jobs because of non-availability of low cost options. This in turn
makes the whole Koliwada community more dense and compact.
4. Large infrastructure projects: Some of the projects that have already been proposed are
Coastal roads and Transport Project. These are planned for the betterment of livelihood
and the coastal communities’ settlement. These are to be built on recovered land and
some parts on stilts on the coastline. All these changes will definitely discard the organic
ties of the community from the coast and kill fishing activity.

CONCLUSION:
The city dynamic is a perplexing cycle of improvement related change has reshaped itself not
just regarding the structure of its populace yet additionally as far as its economy and different
exercises The contemporary city space is a space of numerous parts where there is a gathering of
little scope fabricating businesses, assembled close with imaginative ventures, elevated structures
or pinnacles, media houses, diversion area, top of the line shopping centers, old neighborhoods
(chawls), little nearby kirana stores, and various street side casual food slows down.
Metropolitan change through improvement has brought about division in the area of
encompassing territories, each adapted by explicit acts of spot making, bringing forth a disrupted
city with shaky job for the more established occupants, reliant on a colossal casual area. An
enormous gathering of the populace who were before the middle class has been sidelined.
In a city like Mumbai, urbanism takes some degree diverse structure, contrasted with urban areas
of the worldwide north. Not at all like the cycle portrayed by the Chicago school where one spot
of closeness changes into somewhere else of comparability, the change of the city space of
Mumbai brings more prominent contrasts and further intricacy. The development of populace
over the city space denotes a convoluted example where individuals having a place with various
segments of income try to live in the center of the city. Yet, as Bhowmik (2010) contends
metropolitan plans are figured according to the necessities of the happier barring poor people.
Consequently, with rising yearnings of and for the city and its assorted populaces, a
comprehensive arranging technique obliging the requirement for lodging and occupations for
everything is required so as to address cycles of underestimation released by the particular idea
of improvement in Mumbai.
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