Mumbai Before Development Plan

By Chandrashekhar
Most of us we know Mumbai during and after formation of D.P. Ar. Chandrashekhar has tried to enlight “Amchi Mumbai” before D.P. Its very interesting to know the growth of Mumbai prior to D.P.
 Historic evidence tells us that early resident of Mumbai caught his quota of fish and shared it with his fellow citizen who was a farmer even before Jesus Christ walked upon this earth. Historians however consider this past not so amusing and hence let it pass.
 Common knowledge therefore is that it was once a congregation of seven tiny islands mostly lived in by fishermen and farmers. In the year 1400 it was conquered by the King of Thane ( a throne now unheard of ) soon to have passed in the hands of another ruler. The Mahim Fort, of which few traces are left now, was the ruling seat of these rulers. Considerations of these rulers like their countrymen were different so were their concepts of exploitation. Mumbai therefore continued to grow at snails pace the way any under developed island would grow.
Vaso-da-gama, the Portuguese traveller set his foot at Kalikat in 1453 in a bid to discover New Land. Portuguese rulers slowly explored India and came to acquire a foothold in Mumbai by 1600. Their feellow invaders, the British by that time had started settling in Calcutta and Surat. The way rulers married in those days. Prince Charles of Britain married Princess Chatherine of Portugal in 1661. Mumbai was given to Prince charles as a mariage gift and he became the new owner of Mumbai. Mumbai however coninued to exist the way it did. Fishermen caught their daily quota of fish and farmers tilled in their not so fertile land.
East India Company ; the older version of today’s multinational companies, with designs akin to today’s World Trade Oganisation, was first to notice the hidden potentials Mumbai had in the form of a ntural harbour Company obtained a lease of Mumbai from the British King in 1668 and soon becamse their gateway to prosperity. Their trade now became more efficient. It also started development of Mumbai as a naval base. A port was esablished and a fort was constructed. Trade incentive and security attracted people from the mainland. By 1720, the population of Mumbai rose to 16000.
By the beginning of 19th Century, the English became a major political power. This gave boost to trade an influx of population. A new town i.e. (B&C Wards) came up beyond Bazaar Gate. Fort area was provided with broad roads and beautiful buildings. There was rapid construction of houses, warehouses, shops and markets The Sion Cause way was constructed in 1803. In 1853, the G.I.P. Railway started train service from Mumbai to Thane. Noting that Mumbai’s climate was suited for textile mills, the first cotton mill was established in 1854, which marked the beginning of an industrial era in the history of Mumbai. In 1860, the Bhor Ghat was opened to traffic. The Suez Canal was opened for navigation in 1869. This completely revolutionised the trade activity as it reduced the distance of Mumbai from England by almost half. British rule give full freedom for uninterrupted trade between Mumbai and the mainland. This resulted into rapid growth of commerce and industrialisation.
By the end of the 19th Century, may civic service were provided. This included water supply from Vihar Lake (1860), Tulsi (1881), Tansa (1892) complte drainage system for A to E Wards, reclamation of tidal flats, health services, cemeteries, educational institutions, street lights, markets etc. The mill industry expanded to 83 mills.
The B.M.C. Act was enacted in 1888 giving rise to Local Self Governmetn. This was the first attempt to regulate the functioning of the City in a planned manner.
After ‘the plague of 1896’, quarter of the population deserted Mumbai. The city faced commercial extinction. In order to improve hygienic conditions BMC was compelled to provide proper drainage, clean water and planned reclamation.
Towards this Mumbai City Improvement Trust was established in 1898. This was the first attempt to undo the evils of unplanned development in the City.
From the beginning of the 20th Century, the City saw many measures to fight the ills of unchecked migration and allow developmetn in a planned manner.
i. theMumbai Town Planning Act was enacted in 1915. Under the obligatory provisions of this Act, various Town Planning schemes were framed by the B.M.C. for the city and local Municipal Councils from Bandra to Borivali and Ghatkopar.
ii. The Mumbai Development Department was estalished in 1920.
iii. The Bombay Developmetn Department (BDD) undertook massive housign schemes in the City what is now known as BDD Chawls and also reclamation at Backbay.
iv. After independence there was heavy influx to the city. The network of roads and other infrastructural facilities considerably helped the growth of industries, business and trade. The Mumbai Housing Board was established in 949 mainly to provide cheap housing to industrial workers.
v. First major effort of urban planning was the Modak Meyor Master Plan of 1948. Mumbai’s overall growth was the ultimate aim.
vi. As the city became too congested, the limited of the city were first extended in 1950 to cover the area of suburbs i.e. H&K Wards in Western Suburbs and L, M, N Wards in the Eastersn Suburbs. Later on in 1957 the extended suburbs consisting of P&R Wards in the West and T Ward in the East added.
vii. In 1954, a compulsory legislation was passed empowering M.C.G.B.N. to undertake slum clearance in Bombay.
viii. The Mumbai Town Planning Act of 1954 replaced the earlier Act of 1915. The New Act made it obligatory for local authorities to prepare the Development Plans for the areas administered by them within the stipulated period in addition to the preparation of the Town Planning Schemes.
ix. The Mumbai Town Planning Act, 1954 was replaced by a modified Act named Maharashtra Regional & Town Planning Act, 1966, which covered the enactment’s keeping in view the regional aspects of its development ad growth.
x. This paved way to the First Development Plan of 1964.
  Courtesy PEATA