I visited Bombay this weekend, finally, after two years. All thanks to Covid which kept disrupting my earlier plans. It was a pleasant surprise to see so many positive changes. Plenty more AC buses run by the BEST. In fact I took one from the airport to Andheri station for a princely sum of Rs. 12. The latest metro line is now functional connecting the northern ends of the city to each other. If you look at the envisioned map of Mumbai Metro, you can see colourful lines criss-crosssing the city, a very promising sight.
Infrastructure boom focussing on mobility seems to be the theme of development here. But there is a vital piece of the puzzle which seems to be in a disarray. Housing. Urban housing has always been a contentious issue in Mumbai. But now it seems to have reached epic proportions. Unaffordable land prices due to scarcity, absence of strong zonation (sanctioned land use such as land reserved for commercial and residential properties) and rampant construction have created a tough realty market in Maximum City.
Vast swathes of slums though legalised continue to languish in absence of a fast moving rehabilitation scheme. The once promising Slum Rehabilitation Authority has been slow in delivering the vision of a Slum Free Mumbai, much to the chagrin of millions of slum dwellers who continue to navigate the bureaucratic maze in hopes of a “flat” home.
But this brings us to the possibilities brought in by remote work. Currently, the property prices around the “extended” suburbs are hovering at about 50 % that of compared to central locations such as Vile Parle, Andheri, Bandra. These extended suburbs which fall under the Mumbai Metropolitan Region comprise some beautiful locales such as the beaches of Palghar-Dahanu, the evergreen Thane Rural areas and the sea facing stretch between Panvel and Alibaug. Though all of these areas suffer from the evils of Urban Sprawl. As the city literally spills over its boundaries, these areas becomes mere satellite residential towns with very high dependency of the core city. The railway lines which connect the city to these areas run full at peak hour. The Railways even have a term for that – Super Dense Crush Load.
The key dependency on the city is for employment. Therefore, if employment shifts to remote work for a majority of the working week then in turn development efforts may shift to these towns as well. More sustainable healthy and affordable living maybe a real possibility with reduced commute timings and much lower pressure on the city’s infrastructure. More options around the city could moderate the current property prices which seem to be skyrocketing and making living in Mumbai a matter of privilege.
The frequent disruptions to life in the monsoons can be caused to the burgeoning construction in the city. This can be averted if more functional cities come up in the periphery. Lower commercial property spends could free up more working capital for better employee benefits for the remote worker. The possibilities are endless if challenges of remote work are addressed. More accountability by remote employees, seamless technology for hybrid collaborations and a culture of trust by employers may help in making this a reality. Periodic visits to reimagined office spaces for collaboration, brainstorming and just catching up could plug in the gaps emerging from remote work.
The charm of the city is eroding as unsustainable development results into environmental hazards, pushes the poor to the brink and creates a deep rift between residents and migrants. A responsive policy framework will help accelerate the process of equitable development to these surroundings areas. It is time to act now for both corporate houses as well as policy makers.