Spatial impact of textile mill redevelopment in mumbai

Abstract

The Mumbai textile mills played a major role in the city's and the nation's economy in the 18th century. Spanning 600 acres in the city centre, the textile industry began to decline by the 1980s. Despite government attempts to redevelop the mill lands through DCR58 1991, political motives and other issues prevented its success, leading to a modified DCR58 2001. Currently, out of 58 textile mills, 12 remain defunct, covering 101.4 acres in the core city. Due to limited space in the city, these areas are expected to be redeveloped eventually. Redevelopment of the surroundings of mills has also caught the attention of the government. There has been discussion on the social impact of closing of textile mills on workers and their livelihoods, critical analysis of the government in losing an opportunity to develop public amenities and open spaces for the citizens as well as economic opportunities gained from the same. However, the impact of redevelopment on its surrounding areas and the transformation of a neighbourhood due to redevelopment remains untouched. This thesis dwells on the question of how the redevelopment of textile mills impacts the surrounding areas. The study focuses on analyzing the changes that have occurred in various aspects of the area postredevelopment. Through a case study approach of one defunct and one redeveloped mill, this thesis examines the effects of the redevelopment in terms of spatial aspects at three scales of the built environment, such as area level, street level, and building level. The study also analysed the role of government policies and regulations in shaping the outcome of the redevelopment process. The result from the analysis suggests spatial planning strategies which can be implemented through local area planning. It also provides valuable insights into the benefits and challenges of textile mill redevelopment in Mumbai and assists future urban planning and development decisions in similar contexts