Vir Sanghvi is an angry man. He is unhappy with what is happening to his ‘Bombay’.
In an editorial in the Hindustan Times he writes:
“Something strange is happening in the city of Bombay, and I’m not sure that anybody knows quite what it is yet. We are all familiar with the caricature of Bombay's more affluent citizens, the one that so entertains and infuriates the rest of India: laidback, vacuous people, only interested in partying hard and making money, unaware that the world does not end at Juhu.”
“Bombay is my city so I’ve never quite accepted this characterisation. But yes, even I have been angered by the willingness of Bombay-ites (I’m sorry but I’m not going to call them Mumbaikars) to sit back and party as the city is raped and pillaged by gangs of invading politicians, all of whom win their elections in rural Maharashtra and then go on to make their fortunes in the city of gold.”
Which is all fine. Then he writes this:
“Then, there’s the fuss over the Peddar Road flyover. If this monstrosity is built, it will completely deface South Bombay, obscure every heritage building and totally alter the city's character.”
Really???
And this:
“After the Bombay floods last year, everyone woke up to the realisation that though Bombay pays Rs 60,000 crore in taxes every year, it gets back only Rs 1,000 crore for infrastructure. That statistic is shocking enough. But it was only after I moved to Delhi and was able to see how much money was spent on South Delhi that I realised what a bad deal South Bombay really gets.”
So if a flyover is built at Mohammed Ali Road, it is necessary since that part of town is congested. And when it’s built on an equally-congested Peddar Road, it’s a monstrosity?
And the Bombay that he refers to is actually South Mumbai. South Mumbai does not pay Rs 60,000 crore in taxes, Mr Sanghvi, the whole of Mumbai does. The Mumbai, that is north of Mahim, pays the lion’s share of that. On which nearly 50 flyovers have already been built. On which another 45 are going to be built. Are those ‘monstrosities’? Are we going to stop building the infrastructure of the city so that people can gawk at the so-called heritage buildings?
The fact of the matter is that the city needs to get cracking on its infrastructure. And a lot of work is being done. If that means there's a flyover going by my window, I better accept it. Or go and live elsewhere.
fuck u south bombay bastards
Bombay or Mumbai, the fact still remains that this city in which Marathis
and Non-Marathis both call it their home, woefully needs good
infrastructure. Rather than making it a fight between Bombay or Mumbai,
Marathi or Non-Marathi, we as citizens of this city need to take a hard
look as what is really needed and see to it that our inept government
wakes up and does what it is voted to do. Other-wise Bombay/Mumbai
will bite the dust.
PAGE 3 PEOPLE SUCK
AND ALSO THE ALL THE NON-MARATHIS IN MUMBAI
FUCK OFF TO YOUR STATES AND DEVELOP YOUR STATE
BEAT UP YOUR STATES CORRUPT POLITICIANS
DONT COME TO MUMBAI
You guys accept or not the reality is Bombay has become Mumbai and there is no
Bombay existed on paper. | You guys like it or not Mumbai is part of Maharastra
and it will remain know as capital of Maharastra. | You guys realized or not
that we Marathis are one of the most welcoming people and that’s why not only
in Mumbai but all over Maharastra you will see non-Marathis are living happily
or even exploiting position.
Marathis are facing acute hatred from non-Marathis in state especially in
Mumbai and that from South Mumbai. Most of non-Marathis live there, they are
mentally not on ground and highly insensitive people they just don’t care for
any other thing than parting and publicity.
I don’t care what they think they are too mean people, they are cancer of
Mumbai just sucking everything from 24 hr water to all municipal facilities
goes there but not to much needed citizens of Mumbai. Oh! they still not
satisfied and making noice for flyover… they hv big mouth… Page 3 people suck
it took british a long time to change it from mumbai to bombay. it will take
a long time to change it back. we have patience and faith. Usually people
call name what they had been taught in schools. even my Maharashtrian
friends who had been in convent schools call Bombay - it’s
understandable. you kids and their kids will learn to say Mumbai and we
have patience to hear it from our own Indians rather foreigners (really
non-indians promptly call Mumbai. I am an NRI and non indians say
Mumbai…)
it’s mumbai not bombay. but you know what it doesnt matter what you
and a true maharashtrian says Mumbai. We
say. world say it Mumbai.
dont care what people who dont belong here say.. bombay or mumbai…
we dont care.
Come on - you guys really think a piddling 1 lane flyover is going
to “ease” congestion anywhere. Fact is most of south Mumbai is
already choked and roads are narrow to begin with. The “flyovoer” will
only add to the traffic mess. As for comparison with other flyovers -
please - all of the rest of them (including those in Delhi) are built over
mostly massive roads and highways, not the heart of residential areas.
Yes - of course a flyover in a residential area is a mostrosity and one
over a commercial area is not - like it or not - thats the way it is, so dont
be ignorant enough to compare a flyover over Mohammad Ali Rd and Dr
Deshmukh Marg (aka Peddar Rd).
There seems to be visceral reaction to most people when writing about
South Mumbai so much so that it reeks of resentment. Sorry people -
but Mumbai’s heritage buildings ARE in South Mumbai, which happens to
the old city and it must be preserved, for that is the soul of the city.
Whats needed are bridges over the bay and creek
I feel that as long as we keep doing things in an unplanned way, nothing
will ever improve.
The solution to Mumbai’s problems lies outside of Mumbai: build up
townships (and this time, planned townships please, with separate
tourism, residential and commercial districts) around the city so that we
stop the daily influx of more people….and then hopefully…some of the
current residents might move out as well….maybe including me !
Point well taken. A flyover necessary for the city should be built. However,
why is the criticism so rubbished? In a city like Mumbai where land prices are
hugely governed by location (view, etc. included), why is it rubbish if
homeowners there oppose the flyover because it destroys their view and adds to
the pollution and congestion as THEY see it? If tomorrow someone’s house needs
to be razed to build a new road or a flyover that will decrease congestion,
will opposition to that be rubbished similarly? Is people’s gratefulness to
the flyover going to make up for the significant decrease in land value for the
homeowners near the flyover? From their point of view, the opposition is fully
justified. Who is going to pay them the loss they incur when they sell their
house, just because the rest of the city wanted a flyover there?
Please note the change in the id :
youth_revolution4india@yahoogroups.com
This is entirely disgraceful on our side (mumbaikers). These old dogs out
there in parliament are only money minting machines for themselves
leaving beside country upmovement as well as mumbai where 60k crore
is collected as a tax and only 1000 crore is sanctioned for the
infrastructure for the city.Where is the entire money left out which goes
in the pockets of government (including clerk to high commision) all are
involved.
We all keep on talking about all these stuff but there is no action or no
one is coming forward to get into it and clean this shit out. I would like to
invite everyone who are interested to clean out this shit. Yes there will
be tough time to get the right candidates together and to forward it this
is just a begginning or you all can say a small process of a new era
where we can support each other have some small gatherings and
discuss. Apart from that i have started a group in yahoo i.e.
youthrevolution@yahoogroups.com feel free to post your messages
I think Mumbai is a city where not only Mumbai people But also people
from other Parts of the country has high expectation. Govt. should see to
it that there should be some unique think like one we found in singapore
or Shanghai in the city which can attract tourist & plan to make it
International city. Its the only which has potential.
If you talk abt local train. I think people should stop buying Ticket unless
govt. give the solution for it.
Save Mumbai.
Jai Maharastra.
SOUTH Without doubt.
First there is BOMBAY, THEN THERE IS THE SUBURBS, THEN MAHARASHTA
AND FINALLY INDIAAAAAAA.
NO Mumbai, EVERY CITY THAT HAS CHANGED ITS NAME HAS LOST ITS
CHARM.
BOMBAY-MUMBAI
MADRAS-CHENNAI
CALCUTTA-KOLKATA
BANGLORE-BANGALURU
YUKKKKKK
Atmanya .
This figure of 60000 crore is again and again thumped up without ever realising
what it means. By the way Mumbai does not pay all that tax. Its the companies
registered in Mumbai that do, including all banks, oil companies - private
companies including reliance, tata etc. And this tax is collected from people
all over India. So stop this BS about Mumbai being the source of all that tax.
Vir Sanghvi, like many of the elite of Mumbai, live in a glass house. And
they forget the old saying that people living in glass houses should not
play with stones. Rs. 60,000 crores is not paid by south Mumbai. It is
paid by each and every taxpayer living in Mumbai. Can Mr. Sanghvi list
out those so called “heritage” buildings on Peddar Road? Or does he
mean the Page 3, partying, “heritage” people who are most
unproductive, live on Peddar Road, pay no taxes, and live on borrowed
glamour? A flyover on Peddar Road becomes a “monstrosity” but the
ugly, multi-storeyed structures on Peddar Road, Cuffe Parade, Breach
Candy, Nariman Point, Cuffe Parade are not. That’s because the Vir
Sanghvis of Mumbai live in these structures, have their parties there,
play thier dirty games there and have invested thier money by buying
apartments in these disgustingly designed buildings which ruin the city’s
landscape! Mr. Sanghvi’s mindless writings only expose his total lack of
credibility.
Mr. Vir Sanghvi should learn to accept that this city is now “Mumbai”
whether he likes it or not & everyone here are Mumbaikars. We would
like to know his roots when he so vehemently states that it is “HIS” city
& why is so against it being named Mumbai even after all these years? I
would like to challenge him to go to Kolkata or Chennai & make such
remarks against the re-naming of those cities or against their politicians.
Mr. Sanghvi, please remember that Maharashtra is the only state that
has accepted a non Maharashtrian, Mr. Kripa Shankar Singh as their
Home Minister, show any other state in India which has shown this
magnanimity. A few socialities or pseudo intellects have not made
Mumbai what it is today but ask “Maharashtrians” like the Tatas, Godrej
& Wadias what it has taken to make Mumbai what it is today. What is
your contribution to Mumbai, Mr. Sanghvi?
I could not have put it ny better Ashish….Mumbai/Bombay(who really
cares) has resources….hence mumbai generates taxes…what about the
rest of India shrouded under the veil of ignorance and adversity….You
care about the view from ur balcony…..people dont have decent houses
to live in…..or toilets for that matter…
It is high time that we should stop equating the the money spent on
Mumbai vis-a-vis money paid as Tax by Bombay. Rs. 60000 Cr as paid
through Tax by Mumbai is collectively by the Tax payers of Mumbai who in
turn have earned revenue (on which direct or indirect taxes have bee
paid) through goods sold & / or services provided to people all over
India. If the remaining part of the country stop purchasing, there will not
be anything left to pay as tax. Remember the plight of HLL till a year back
because rural demand had gone down!
Talking about statistics…here a lil statistic….Mumbai is approx
0.000142% of entire India(Area wise)…. more than 90% of
the “real”(read non-cosmopolitan, non-elite) india depends(to a large
extent) on the 60,000 crore that mumbai generates….As a “bombayite” i
am ashamed that the denizens of mumbai have reduced down to such a
level that they cant think beyond…..and above……
Dont gimme the Hype…..I care less about the flyover…..people dont
have basic bitumen roads elsewhere(or food for that matter)………focus
on that!