A New Bombay, A new India

The early decades of the 20th century saw monumental changes in the political and civic life of Bombay. Political unrest in the city intensified in 1907 when the Bombay press began to criticise the Government’s repressive measures. The Nationalist Movement was now being supported by all sections of society including the masses, the press, the intelligentsia, leading traders and captains of industry. The First World War caused a marked drop in imports and exports and in 1918, 125,000 industrial workers went on strike for two weeks to protest the enormous rise in the cost of living. In 1919, Mahatma Gandhi commenced the Non-Cooperation Movement, which led to a series of disturbances such as Black Sunday on April 6th 1919.

Royal Tour

Unlike the Royal Tour of 1911, the visit of the Prince of Wales in 1921 aroused considerable hostility and violence. Bombay was fast becoming the focus of political activity in the country and, in 1928, a committee was appointed by the All-Parties Conference in Bombay, to draft a Constitution for India. New forms of family entertainment such as cinemas – the art deco Eros, Metro and Regal cinemas were the last word in luxury - and social clubs increasingly encouraged mixed gatherings and the coming out of women in public - a custom hitherto frowned upon by Indian society. As with politics, Bombay became a trendsetter and took a national lead in social reform.

The ever-changing face of Bombay also saw big developments at this time both in its physical structure and social make-up. The city was becoming increasingly crowded; the population grew from 1.16 million (1931 census) to 1.49 million (1941) and the homeless now numbered over 50,000. The city began to develop northwards and building intensity increased with the introduction of reinforced cement concrete. Verdant wooded areas were being developed from the early 1930s in the news suburbs of Bandra, Khar, Juhu, Vile Parle, Santa Cruz, Andheri, Ghatkopar, Versova and Chembur. Many co-operative housing societies took advantage of favourable housing loans offered by the Government, and sports clubs and playgrounds were built.

‘Greater Bombay’

The concept of a ‘Greater Bombay’ region was, by the 1940s, becoming a reality. Concurrent to Bombay’s new modern image, the city’s role as the country’s nerve centre of national and international trade, business, finance and industry also intensified as many new consumer industries were established at the end of the economic depression in the early 1930s. New developments and insurance businesses sprung up on Pherozeshah Mehta Road and in the traditional commercial area of Fort, such as the new Reserve Bank of India on Apollo Street that opened in April 1939. The Second World War did not herald the depression that many predicted because of the increased activity in the main industries and buoyancy on the stock exchanges.

On August 15, 1947, Bombay celebrated Indian Independence in a grand manner. Ironically, George Wittet’s Gateway of India, a monument built to commemorate a British monarch and symbolic of British imperialism, became the venue for the departure of the last British troops from Indian soil.

Back to the History Home Page