Naresh Fernandes chronicles a recent upsurge in events providing opportunities for Mumbai's residents, and fascinated guests, to discuss the city's myriad challenges, and possible solutions. But can all the talk result in real action?
As Fernandes notes, Mumbai's challenges are varied, "an acute shortage of affordable housing that has forced 62 per cent of its population to live in slums, the pressure-cooker conditions in local trains that carry 7.2 million people a day, the severe absence of parks that leaves every 1,000 Mumbaikars with merely 0.003 hectares of open space." Fernandes observes an increasingly varied series of discussions, exhibits, and lectures oriented around identifying and addressing these challenges. What will come of this increased focus, however?
"Despite all the seminars and roundtables and discussions, though, organizers are aware that it isn't easy to convert the ideas they generate into public policy, especially in a city where property developers, the politicians who make the rules for real estate development and the bureaucrats who regulate the murky process often are the same entity," writes Fernandes.
"Change isn't impossible – if it is backed by a lot of effort, insists P.K. Das, the architect who conceptualized the 'Open Mumbai' exhibition on creating more public spaces in the city. Many politicians visited the exhibition and Mr. Das said he hoped they departed with fresh ideas. But most of all, he hoped that the exhibition and the discussions around it will convince Mumbaikars that it is actually possible to find solutions for many of their problems. 'Pressures put on the government by the citizens and their movements will determine our success,' he said."
FULL STORY: ‘Dystopian Future’ Draws Problem Solvers to Mumbai

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

Chicago Approves Green Affordable Housing Plan
The Mayor’s plan calls for creating a nonprofit housing corporation tasked with building affordable housing that meets Green Building standards.

E-Scooter Parking: A Guide
How smart planning — and ample designated parking — can end conflicts over shared scooters.

‘It’s Been 50 years’: Public Transit Law Passes in Montana
Legislation would fix transportation district issue, allow for greater reach on city bus routes.

Top 10 Tech-Ready Cities
An index ranks U.S. cities based on their preparedness for the ‘smart city future.’
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions