predictions of gupte & shetty  

Edited from an Interview with Rupali Gupte and Prasad Shetty (CRIT Mumbai) by Tile von Damm (MOD Institute & Nextbangalore) published by WELTSTADT

1. The current economic situation in India appears gloomy, but we think it is a momentary phenomenon of adjustment. Several new policies that are driven towards equity are being put in place. Hence in the longer run, this slowdown is quite useful. Moreover, a slow-down always gives you a chance to think and reinvent.
2. Production seems to be moving out of the city and being replaced by intense trade and post-production activities. We have predicted that the culture industry seems to be the only saving grace for Mumbai and needs urgent promotion.
3. We would rather use the term ‘accessibility’ instead of ‘vulnerability’ – it makes it sound hopeful! Mumbai is getting affected quite substantially. The direct straight-forward effect is the rise in oil prices and that consequently affects everything else. However, it seems like the increasing oil prices do not affect the car owners of Mumbai!
4. Mumbai has been extremely active with regards to participatory ways of doing things – from mobilizing people for heritage to garbage, there are many examples, … The development plan of Mumbai has a very active discussion on its making. However, we have been careful with the idea of participation – generally one does not know who should participate and who should not.
5. We believe in the city – we think that whatever solutions get implemented have their own ways in which they get worked out and they will in turn create more challenges.
6. Mumbai has about 50% of people living in houses built by themselves or by small contractors and about 20% of people living in old and dilapidated buildings. The recent census of household (2011) showed that there is less than 2% shortage of houses, which can easily be taken care of. But our proposal is that, for the rest of the housing stock, it is simply a matter of improving its quality.