REDEVELOPMENT OF WORLI VILLAGE: THE CASE OF KOLIWADAS OF MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA

Abstract

Fishing is one of the oldest economic activities that comes right next after agriculture. The are many fisheries and fishing villages operating Along the Indian Coastline. Such fishing communities have always been living and working in close proximity to the sea. Thousands of people live here and rely on the sea as a primary source of income. Few such communities live in Mumbai, the fishermen in Mumbai, also known as Kolis, are also known as the original inhabitants of Mumbai. It is believed that they inhabited Mumbai even before the Portuguese invasion. Before the development of Greater Bombay, there were more than 150 Koliwadas. However, as the city developed, the villages shrank, and builders took over their prime lands that face the sea to build luxurious projects. Many Kolis also left their traditional practices and looked for other means of livelihood which could sustain them better. One such community lives on the western coast, in Worli Village, Mumbai. Located on the northern edge of the Mumbai Island and is well connected to most areas. The village can be easily spotted from the Bandra Worli Sea Link. Even after strong visibility in the urban fabric, the village members are looked down upon. The strong culture of the Kolis is often overlooked as one only notices the small tin-shed houses they live in. Lately, their living conditions caught Slum Redevelopment Authority's attention, finding such neighbourhoods unsafe and hazardous. Subsequently, a proposal was launched to redevelop these neighbourhoods. Such projects usually lack empathy towards the community and aim to provide maximum gains to private developers building on the land. Understanding this, people living in communities object against such redevelopments. Through the design proposal, I would like to develop a housing typology that understands the community's needs and its existing social hierarchy and patterns. It respects the monuments of collective memory, embraces it, and develops in harmony with them. Additionally, through the design, a new identity for the community would be created that complements their existing identity and helps in monetising the opportunities it has to offer.