GENRE: Voices

A people’s protest to ‘Save Aarey’ was held on July 3rd at Picnic Point in Aarey Colony, following the Maharashtra government's decision to overturn the legal protection Aarey had earlier received. The newly-appointed Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took the decision to relocate the metro car shed project back to the forest in his first meeting since taking the oath. The move to reverse the decision of the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition government created a stir amongst environmentalists and citizen activists from all over Mumbai and protests were organised almost overnight after the decision was made. However, this project isn’t Aarey's…

I travel across cities in India for work and leisure, but Mumbai has always been important to me, as I have family and friends in the city. Coming from Bengaluru, the city’s heat and humidity have not really been in my favour. Outdoor walks during the evenings always help me recover from my physical and mental fatigue. Recently, taking my son to a nearby public space - a park near our house in Vashi, Navi Mumbai - has become my routine. 'Gorakhnath Shivram Palve' is a neighbourhood park, one of the many in this planned extension of Mumbai. Visiting a…

It has been eight years now since we started down this path without setting any goals to reach anywhere. It was our son Nihar’s choice to learn at home by making things and working on projects rather than only through books. He proposed that to us, when he entered Class 4, as he felt that he wasn't finding enough time to do the things he wanted to do. As parents, we valued his need to be free from systems and structures and to be motivated by his innate sense of wonder and curiosity. Today, he is 18 and a co-founder…

Former American President Harry Truman apparently once said that he wished he could find an economist with only one hand. When asked why, he replied, “Whenever I ask an economist a question, his reply always is “on the one hand…”, followed by “on the other hand…”. Truman had a valid grouse. For instance, do you know what “inflation”, a term much bandied about by economists, media and the RBI in recent weeks, means. Inflation basically means the rate at which prices of goods that you buy on a regular basis, especially food items, are rising. For example, the price you…

Public transport in Mumbai has a reputation for providing long, arduous and uncomfortable commute, but some transport authorities in Mumbai have tried to change that. Without an iota of doubt, we can proclaim that multitasking is a common, inevitable feature of modern urban life. The pandemic has lent further credence to the fact. Instead of being alienated individuals going through the routine motion of daily travel, commuters are now looking to engage themselves to reduce distraction and enhance the enjoyability of their ride to and from the office.  Specifically, in current times, they would love to to utilise their travel…

I have been a regular commuter on Namma Metro since 2017 when Namma Metro’s phase one was inaugurated with connectivity to southwest Bengaluru. Two lines, the Purple Line** and Green Line were opened with an interchange at Majestic. I used to take the Purple Line from Mysore Road initially. Now I travel from Raja Rajeshwari Nagar to Cubbon Park/ MG Road almost daily. At the time the two metro lines became operational, the hope was that this would help reduce air pollution and congestion along with the catchment areas of these routes. Hopes that have been totally belied because of…

My mother passed away on May 31st. It was all very sudden. She had been in the hospital for a week and passed away peacefully on the day she was supposed to get discharged. Though the last week of her life was spent in the hospital, it was spent with her loved ones and she truly appreciated the care and support she received from the hospital staff. Our mother’s passing is an irreplaceable loss for all of us in her immediate family and extended circle of family and friends whose lives she touched with her warmth and infectious laughter. But…

The contest for control of the Bengaluru municipal council promises at least some surprises. Like first-time contestants Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bengaluru Navanirmana Party (BNP) - formed in 2019 as a party exclusively for Bengaluru city - both hoping to make to make a mark, if not cause any major upsets. AAP is harbouring ambitions of a larger state presence if the BBMP election campaign proves encouraging. The three other contestants, the BJP, Congress and JD(S) are banking on the past record of work they have done for the city. The latter two have only their State leaders to…

On May 27th, Zaveri Bazaar in South Mumbai experienced a power cut that lasted almost 38 hours, causing chaos in the market on a hot summer day. Lights went out at 7 pm and returned on May 29th early morning at 4 am. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) attributed this power cut to a faulty underground line.  India generates a total of 2.75 lakh megawatts of electricity every day, and the current per capita electricity requirement in Mumbai is about 1000 kilowatt. Growing power needs become worrisome when we’re facing a climate crisis head on, from the extreme heat to…

As summer vacations come to a close, parents are eagerly awaiting the start of a normal school year after the past two filled with disruptions. COVID-19 has meant a sea of changes to education in Mumbai, and this school year will be the chance for parents and teachers to adapt and recover. The experience, however, has not been equal across the board. Migrants and low-income families that faced job losses often did not have the tools to seamlessly adapt to online education, and in many cases, could not afford to keep paying the school fees. And while middle and high-income…