Vidisha Dhar

UR3003

Mumbai has undergone several socio-spatial transformations over its historical journey, especially in the last 150 years or so. These transformations were usually guided by the interest, values and objectives of specific powerful formations. The costs of these transformations have been directly or indirectly borne by a particular social group, while others benefited disproportionately. Questions about who experiences what kind of violence, who directs the transformations and who reaps their benefits, naturally leads to a consideration of spatial injustice that have accompanied Mumbai’s urban development and continue to do so. The narrative, as the first half of the manifesto, attempts to view Mumbai from the lens of Integration between different social stratas. The conclusion based on the history, policy and political trends of the city describes Mumbai to be a segregated city, spatially but not socially. The existing social integration in the city is the result of its diversity and economic dependency. Hence, the manifesto dreams of Mumbai to be a city that is not only socially but also physically integrated by giving impetus to the public realm. The manifesto is then applied to a Slum rehabilitation Scheme (SRS)site in Mumbai. Each time a slum is rehabilitated, people do move to a supposedly better home but they are devoid of their only means of livelihood which existed in the slums and hence it is likely that these SRA buildings shall be vacated and people would go back to residing in the slums. Hence its important to build self-esteem, conviviality and co-existence amongst the people rehabilitated from the slums. Firstly, the site is mapped to highlight the segregation of different kinds and then the free design aims to integrate the site, physically, socially and culturally. This aim is followed by a list of objectives and strategies that emphasize regulations in regards to streets, built form, public- private realm, public participation, environment, health and safety.