Never mind Shanghai, just give us Mumbai

Shanghai remains a magnificent obsession with politicians in the state and has frequently been held up by leaders of various political parties as role model for Mumbai.

Shanghai remains a magnificent obsession with politicians in the state and has frequently been held up by leaders of various political parties as role model for Mumbai.

With two ancient civilisations expected to reach full-blown economic might this century, rivalry is to be expected, with its contours spreading in all directions. (Representational photo)

The staunchest votary of making Mumbai ‘like Shanghai’ was late Vilasrao Deshmukh when he was chief minister (CM) of Maharashtra for a while in the first decade of this millennium, before his ineptitude in handling the 26/11 terror attack saw his tenure end prematurely.

Before that, CM Deshmukh’s hyperbolic exuberance inspired several business delegations to travel to the Chinese metropolis to make first-hand assessment. Those were the rosy years of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), and these delegations came back suitably impressed.

What they saw in Shanghai fuelled the ambition of the delegations that this would be replicated rapidly in Mumbai. The economy was doing well and a swift makeover didn’t seem distant. All such dreams, however, were brought thudding down by the city’s potholed reality.

Nevertheless, fascination with Shanghai persists. At the completion of the first tunnel of Mumbai’s ambitious (and controversial) Metro 3 line near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport last week, current CM Devendra Fadnavis raked up comparison with the Chinese city again.

Laudably, CM Fadnavis did not take a minion’s position for Mumbai vis-à-vis Shanghai. At the function, he promised that infrastructure projects undertaken by his government would ‘’change the face of the city’’ in three years and even “Shanghai will take note of its development.’’ Not a bad idea to score a brownie point with officials from consortia partners Shanghai Tunnel Engineering, present too, at the event. But the three-year caveat was tell-tale that this was also a clarion call to voters when the state goes to polls in under 18 months.

With disappointment mounting against the Centre for the non-fulfilment of promises made, states ruled by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) may not remain unaffected; so Fadnavis has probably decided to be early off the blocks.

Moot question, however, is why Shanghai is always used a metaphor for Mumbai’s aspirations. Primarily, it has to do with the China versus India syndrome. With two ancient civilisations expected to reach full-blown economic might this century, rivalry is to be expected, with its contours spreading in all directions.

Another pertinent reason is that Shanghai, like Mumbai, is a coastal city and has a similar bund too. It is also a cosmopolitan city – albeit by Chinese standards -- built by Europeans for its opium trade and where people from all over the world migrated for work and settled to provide it rich texture and culture.

Perhaps the most compelling has been the pace of transformation of Shanghai. Till 1992, it was the boondocks. I recall from my visit to Beijing for the Asian Games in 1990 we were actually discouraged from going there.

In the 26 years since, Shanghai’s transformation has by all accounts been remarkable. From a crumbling city of shanties and poor lifestyle, it has become a world-class global business and cultural hub, thanks largely to the money, time and attention paid to developing infrastructure. Something that Mumbai, which has stagnated for the past three-four decades, deeply desires today. But that should not be the reason for Mumbai to feel inadequate. All major cities have their own ethos and identity that need to be preserved and built upon.

To imitate another, and that too one where the politics and culture is vastly different, represents an inferiority complex. For instance, while the population of Mumbai and Shanghai is about equal, the Chinese city is almost 15 times bigger in size. Its needs and demands are going to be different from a linear city – a la Manhattan – like Mumbai, apart, of course, from a heterogeneous citizenry. And a totalitarian state, all said, can get things done uncaring what people think or say.

This does not negate a development agenda, rather that it be tweaked for what’s best for this city and its people. Essentially, Mumbai’s urgent needs are of improved, affordable housing, good roads, ease of commute, concern from environment and health, stability of law and order to protect homes, businesses and the citizenry.

To be fair, CM Fadnavis reiterated at last week’s event that he wants Mumbai to remain Mumbai, something that he had said when he took charge too. In that itself, there’s tremendous scope to revive this withering city unless it is just political posturing. As always, actions speak louder than words.