B’wood moved out, slums stayed

From a lush, picturesque forest to the gas chamber of Mumbai, from being the birthplace of commercial Bollywood cinema to grappling to survive in its own glory — Chembur’s tale of transition is anchored on contradictions and ironies, and fuelled by an identity crisis.

From a lush, picturesque forest to the gas chamber of Mumbai, from being the birthplace of commercial Bollywood cinema to grappling to survive in its own glory — Chembur’s tale of transition is anchored on contradictions and ironies, and fuelled by an identity crisis.

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While big-ticket infrastructure projects have transformed its physical layout and demography, a number of contradictions have riddled this basic concept of this emerging suburb in its relationship to the old.

Keeping pace with the urban concept of development, malls, multiplexes and high-rises have cropped up even in this suburb. However, it is this very development that the erstwhile cultures, lifestyles and locals have been shunted out for.

The area continues to house the largest number of slums in the city with the highest number of malnourishment-induced deaths in the city. However, amidst this contradiction, the emergence and development of the twin city of Navi Mumbai has over the past decade turned this suburb into an important link between the two cities.