Source: Bombay Police (figures for Jan-Dec every year)
crime 1994 1995
Murder 354 357
Attempt to murder 229 195
Dacoity 112 131
Preparation for dacoity 57 49
Robbery 718 704
Attempt at robbery 44 53
Extortion 588 535
Housebreaking (day) 666 656
Housebreaking (night) 2041 2299
Thefts 9927 11611
Pocket picking 381 461
Motor vehicle thefts 2429 2685
Chain snatching 890 90
Stabbings 81 12
Hurts 4732 5240
Riots 201 179
Rape 150 210
Other IPC cases 11738 14010
Total 35338 40289
The police claims to solve about half of all registered cases. It is claimed that about 35% of the reported crimes are committed by professional criminals and about 65% by casual criminals. However, there are reports in the press about Bombay's awesome mafia.
White Collar Crime
About 650 employees of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), including administrative staff, monitor 1,500,000 government and semi-government employees. Between January and October 1995 they have brought cases against 363 individuals.
cases against number
Class III employees 181
Class II employees 31
Class I employees 20
Other public servants 22
Private individuals aiding corrupt public officials 107
*One woman raped in Mumbai every 2nd day.
Crime and Prevention
The Mumbai Police Department
Phone numbers for all the police stations in Mumbai and the history of the Mumbai police.
Computerised Crime and Criminals Information System
The Mumbai police went online in 1997. It's criminal records are computerised for easy access by law-enforcement agencies.
Crime rates in Bombay
Statistics on crime rates in Mumbai are released every year by the police department.
Traffic accident rates in Bombay
Traffic accident rates remain extremely high in Mumbai, according to the statistics released by the police department.
Mumbai Tops Rape List
Though most of the cases of molestation and rape still go unreported, the reported cases have increased in Maharashtra.
Every three hours a woman is molested in Maharashtra, and one rape occurs at the interval of six hours, the figures of crime reveal. The cases of rape, reportedly, increased by 10 percent during 2004.
Seen in view of the recent rape cases at Marine Drive and Sahar airport (both involving policemen), the fact is Mumbai accounts for the highest number of rape and molestation cases recorded every year in the state.
According to the statistics compiled by the state crime records bureau up to 2004, 187 cases of rapes were reported in the city in 2004 accounting for 13.47% of all such cases in the state.Together with the adjoining Thane rural (60) and Thane commissionerate area (57), Mumbai would in fact account for over 20% of all rape cases in the state. Pune also accounts for a high number of rape cases (63) in 2004, followed by Yavatmal (62). Mumbai also registered the highest number of molestation cases with 321 incidents followed by Yavatmal (129) and Amra-vati rural (127).
The total number of reported rape cases in 2004 was 1,392 as against 1,276 the previous year and shockingly, more than 45% involved girls below 18. In as many as 419 cases, the victim was in the age group of 14-18 and in 133 cases the girl was in the age group of 10-14, while 85 cases were reported of girls who were below 10 years.
Incidents of molestation and sexual harassment too have gone up in recent times. In 2004, incidents of molestation increased by 7% with 2,831 cases reported across the state.
Overall Crime and Safety Situation Crime Threat Crime is moderate for a city with 18 million (or more) inhabitants. To date, crime has not affected expatriates to an unusual degree. While street crime from pick pocketing to robbery/assault is not uncommon, areas frequented by foreigners are less vulnerable since they enjoy a generally adequate police presence. Murders and other violent crimes do occur in Mumbai and for the most part have been isolated in the congested parts of the city. High density areas such as slums and crowded apartment blocks are often the scenes of violent crime and organized crime activity. Most expatriates report nuisance level crimes such as pick pocketing and minor scams. As India’s IT sector expands so does the complexity and capability of organizations conducting organized white collar financial scams and crimes. West African/Nigerian fraud rings are also active in Mumbai. While these groups target lower income Indian citizens, it is not uncommon for the groups to use the names of actual American diplomats or businessmen in their fraudulent materials. Safety Concerns Roads in Mumbai are in moderate condition, but the city’s infrastructure is not keeping pace with its rapid growth. There is extreme traffic congestion in Mumbai, which does have the positive effect of limiting many high speed traffic accidents/fatalities. Emergency medical services in Mumbai are extremely limited. Ambulances are poorly equipped and traffic congestion often prevents an individual from making it to a hospital within the golden hour of trauma. Efforts are being made to improve the city’s emergency medicine/trauma care capabilities. Political Violence Regional Terrorism Terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Tobia have shown a willingness to target Mumbai, since the vibrant city is the financial capital and entertainment capital of India. In August 2003, two improvised explosive devices exploded in Mumbai at a public market and at the Gateway of India. On July 11, 2006, terrorists linked to Lashkar-e-Tobia detonated seven improvised explosive devices on Mumbai’s Western Railway Line during the evening commute killing 183 people. In September 2006, three improvised explosive devices detonated in a market area of Malegaon, India (approximately 300-400 kilometers northeast of Mumbai). With the exception of the Gateway bombings, terrorist groups have avoided targeting areas were tourists could be collateral casualties. U.S. citizens should exercise vigilance when in the vicinity of government installations, visiting tourist sites, or attending public events in Mumbai. People should be aware of their surroundings and be alert for unattended bags or packages in these areas. Civil Unrest On March 2, 2006, over 250,000 people participated in an anti-American demonstration while President Bush visited India. While the speakers and crowd voiced dissatisfaction with a series of U.S. Government polices, organizers extolled the participants to leave the demonstration peacefully and we received no reports of attacks against U.S. Government facilities or American businesses in the area around the protest site. The Mumbai police professionally handle large demonstrations when they have advanced notification and can adequately plan for the event. The city also experiences spontaneous demonstrations/incidents of violence that can disrupt traffic flow in the city as well as cause damage to property before the Police can respond. The prime example of this phenomenon would be the November 30, 2006, Dalit riots that erupted across Maharashtra. Post-Specific Concerns Floods Flooding during the Monsoon season is an area of great concern in Mumbai. During July and August of 2005, in excess of 1,000 people died during the unprecedented flooding that occurred in the city. Flooding is exacerbated by inadequate drainage, clogged storm sewers, and explosive city growth. The monsoon season which lasts from June through September is the period of greatest concern. The most problematic flooding happens when a high volume rain event coincides with high tide. At this point there is no outlet for the rains and flooding commences. Avian Influenza The Government of India announced three separate outbreaks of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in India in 2006. The first outbreak, announced in mid-February, occurred in and around Navapur, a city located in the Nandurbar district in the west Indian state of Maharashtra (near the borders with the states of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh), including poultry farms in Uchchhal, Gujarat, just a few miles from Navapur across the state border. In mid-March, a second outbreak was reported about 140 km east of Navapur in the Jalgaon district of Maharashtra. A third outbreak was reported in late March around Ichhapur, a town located on the Madhya Pradesh/Maharashtra border about 70 km east of Jalgaon near the city of Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh. In each of these cases, the Government of India ordered the culling of tens of thousands of birds. Certain individuals showing flu-like symptoms were quarantined for observation in connection with these outbreaks, but to date no individual has tested positive for the H5N1 virus. The Government of India announced that the virus was contained in all three of these outbreaks. There were no reported outbreaks in 2007. Police Response Police response in the city of Mumbai is fair.
The Mumbai Police do an effective job managing large scale protests, and are responsive to security requests. For American Citizens needing immediate police assistance please call the Police Helpline by dialing 100 from any phone. Further information on the Mumbai police can be found at www.mumbaipolice.org. If you have been detained by the police please contact the Consulate’s American Citizen Services Unit at 91-22-2363-3611, extensions 4306/4134/4237 or via email at mumbaiacs@state.gov.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
MUMBAI DABBAWALA
A dabbawala (Marathi: डब्बेवाले, Hindi: डब्बावाला), literally, box person, see Etymology), also spelled as dabbawalla or dabbawallah is a person in the Indian city of Mumbai who is employed in a unique service industry whose primary business is collecting the freshly cooked food in lunch boxes from the residences of the office workers (mostly in the suburbs), delivering it to their respective workplaces and returning back the empty boxes by using various modes of transport. "Tiffin" is an old-fashioned English word for a light lunch, and sometimes for the box it is carried in. For this reason, the dabbawalas are sometimes called Tiffin Wallahs.
Contents
1 Etymology and historical roots
2 Background and the delivery chain
3 The Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Trust
4 Economic analysis
5 Low-tech and lean
6 Uninterrupted services
7 Notes
8 References
9 External links
Etymology and historical roots
The word "Dabbawala" in Marathi when literally translated, means "one who carries a box". "Dabba" means a box (usually a cylindrical tin or aluminium container), while "wala" is a suffix, denoting a doer of the preceding word[1]. The closest meaning of the Dabbawala in English would be the "lunch box delivery man". Though this profession seems to be simple, it is actually a highly specialized service in Mumbai which is over a century old and has become integral to the cultural life of this city.
The concept of the dabbawala originated when India was under British rule. Many British people who came to the colony did not like the local food, so a service was set up to bring lunch to these people in their workplace straight from their home. Nowadays, although Indian business men are the main customers for the dabbawalas, increasingly affluent families employ them instead for lunch delivery to their school-aged children. Even though the services provided might include cooking, it primarily consists of only delivery either home-made or in that latter case, food ordered from a restaurant.
Background and the delivery chain
At 19,373 persons per km², Mumbai is India's most densely populated city with a huge flow of traffic. Because of this, lengthy commutes to workplaces are common, with many workers traveling by train.
Instead of going home for lunch or paying for a meal in a café, many office workers have a cooked meal sent either from their home, or sometimes from a caterer who delivers it to them as well, essentially cooking and delivering the meal in lunch boxes and then having the lunch boxes collected and re-sent the next day. This is usually done for a monthly fee. The meal is cooked in the morning and sent in lunch boxes carried by dabbawalas, who have a complex association and hierarchy across the city.
A collecting Dabbawala on a bicycle
A collecting dabbawala, usually on bicycle, collects dabbas from homes or from the dabba makers. The dabbas have some sort of distinguishing mark on them, such as a color or symbol. The dabbawala then takes them to a designated sorting place, where he and other collecting dabbawalas sort (and sometimes bundle) the lunch boxes into groups. The grouped boxes are put in the coaches of trains, with markings to identify the destination of the box (usually there is a designated car for the boxes). The markings include the rail station to unload the boxes and the building address where the box has to be delivered.
At each station, boxes are handed over to a local dabbawala, who delivers them. The empty boxes, after lunch, are again collected and sent back to the respective houses.
The Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Trust
This service was originated in 1880. In 1890, Mahadeo Havaji Bachche, started a lunch delivery service with about 100 men.[2] In 1930, he informally attempted to unionize the dabbawallas. Later a charitable trust was registered in 1956 under the name of Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Trust. The commercial arm of this trust was registered in 1968 as Mumbai Tiffin Box Carriers Association. The present President of the association is Raghunath Medge. Nowadays, the service often includes cooking of foods in addition to the delivery.
Economic analysis
It is estimated that the dabbawala industry grows by 5-10% each year.
Each dabbawala, regardless of role, gets paid about two to four thousand rupees per month (around £25–50 or US$40–80).[3]
More than 175,000 or 200,000 lunch boxes get moved every day by an estimated 4,500 to 5,000 dabbawalas, all with an extremely small nominal fee and with utmost punctuality. According to a recent survey, there is only one mistake in every 6,000,000 deliveries, statistically equivalent to a Six Sigma (99.9999) rating[4]
The BBC has produced a documentary on dabbawalas, and Prince Charles, during his visit to India, visited them (he had to fit in with their schedule, since their timing was too precise to permit any flexibility). Owing to the tremendous publicity, some of the dabbawalas were invited to give guest lectures in top business schools of India, which is very unusual. Most remarkably in the eyes of many Westerners, the success of the dabbawala trade has involved no advanced technology.[5]
The New York Times reported in 2007 that the 125-year-old dabbawala industry continues to grow at a rate of 5–10% per year.[6]
Low-tech and lean
A dabba, or Indian-style tiffin box.
Although the service remains essentially low-tech, with the barefoot delivery men as the prime movers, the dabbawalas have started to embrace modern information technology, and now allow booking for delivery through SMS.[7] An on-line poll on the web site ensures that customer feedback is given pride of place. The success of the system depends on teamwork and time management that would be the envy of a modern manager. Such is the dedication and commitment of the barely literate and barefoot delivery men (there are only a few delivery women) who form links in the extensive delivery chain, that there is no system of documentation at all. A simple colour coding system doubles as an ID system for the destination and recipient. There are no multiple elaborate layers of management either — just three layers. Each dabbawala is also required to contribute a minimum capital in kind, in the form of two bicycles, a wooden crate for the tiffins, white cotton kurta-pyjamas, and the white trademark Gandhi topi (cap). The return on capital is ensured by monthly division of the earnings of each unit.
Uninterrupted services
The service is uninterrupted even on the days of severe weather such as Mumbai's characteristic monsoons. The local dabbawalas at the receiving and the sending ends are known to the customers personally, so that there is no question of lack of trust. Also, they are well accustomed to the local areas they cater to, which allows them to access any destination with ease. Occasionally, people communicate between home and work by putting messages inside the boxes. However, this was more common before the accessibility of instant telecommunications.
Contents
1 Etymology and historical roots
2 Background and the delivery chain
3 The Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Trust
4 Economic analysis
5 Low-tech and lean
6 Uninterrupted services
7 Notes
8 References
9 External links
Etymology and historical roots
The word "Dabbawala" in Marathi when literally translated, means "one who carries a box". "Dabba" means a box (usually a cylindrical tin or aluminium container), while "wala" is a suffix, denoting a doer of the preceding word[1]. The closest meaning of the Dabbawala in English would be the "lunch box delivery man". Though this profession seems to be simple, it is actually a highly specialized service in Mumbai which is over a century old and has become integral to the cultural life of this city.
The concept of the dabbawala originated when India was under British rule. Many British people who came to the colony did not like the local food, so a service was set up to bring lunch to these people in their workplace straight from their home. Nowadays, although Indian business men are the main customers for the dabbawalas, increasingly affluent families employ them instead for lunch delivery to their school-aged children. Even though the services provided might include cooking, it primarily consists of only delivery either home-made or in that latter case, food ordered from a restaurant.
Background and the delivery chain
At 19,373 persons per km², Mumbai is India's most densely populated city with a huge flow of traffic. Because of this, lengthy commutes to workplaces are common, with many workers traveling by train.
Instead of going home for lunch or paying for a meal in a café, many office workers have a cooked meal sent either from their home, or sometimes from a caterer who delivers it to them as well, essentially cooking and delivering the meal in lunch boxes and then having the lunch boxes collected and re-sent the next day. This is usually done for a monthly fee. The meal is cooked in the morning and sent in lunch boxes carried by dabbawalas, who have a complex association and hierarchy across the city.
A collecting Dabbawala on a bicycle
A collecting dabbawala, usually on bicycle, collects dabbas from homes or from the dabba makers. The dabbas have some sort of distinguishing mark on them, such as a color or symbol. The dabbawala then takes them to a designated sorting place, where he and other collecting dabbawalas sort (and sometimes bundle) the lunch boxes into groups. The grouped boxes are put in the coaches of trains, with markings to identify the destination of the box (usually there is a designated car for the boxes). The markings include the rail station to unload the boxes and the building address where the box has to be delivered.
At each station, boxes are handed over to a local dabbawala, who delivers them. The empty boxes, after lunch, are again collected and sent back to the respective houses.
The Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Trust
This service was originated in 1880. In 1890, Mahadeo Havaji Bachche, started a lunch delivery service with about 100 men.[2] In 1930, he informally attempted to unionize the dabbawallas. Later a charitable trust was registered in 1956 under the name of Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Trust. The commercial arm of this trust was registered in 1968 as Mumbai Tiffin Box Carriers Association. The present President of the association is Raghunath Medge. Nowadays, the service often includes cooking of foods in addition to the delivery.
Economic analysis
It is estimated that the dabbawala industry grows by 5-10% each year.
Each dabbawala, regardless of role, gets paid about two to four thousand rupees per month (around £25–50 or US$40–80).[3]
More than 175,000 or 200,000 lunch boxes get moved every day by an estimated 4,500 to 5,000 dabbawalas, all with an extremely small nominal fee and with utmost punctuality. According to a recent survey, there is only one mistake in every 6,000,000 deliveries, statistically equivalent to a Six Sigma (99.9999) rating[4]
The BBC has produced a documentary on dabbawalas, and Prince Charles, during his visit to India, visited them (he had to fit in with their schedule, since their timing was too precise to permit any flexibility). Owing to the tremendous publicity, some of the dabbawalas were invited to give guest lectures in top business schools of India, which is very unusual. Most remarkably in the eyes of many Westerners, the success of the dabbawala trade has involved no advanced technology.[5]
The New York Times reported in 2007 that the 125-year-old dabbawala industry continues to grow at a rate of 5–10% per year.[6]
Low-tech and lean
A dabba, or Indian-style tiffin box.
Although the service remains essentially low-tech, with the barefoot delivery men as the prime movers, the dabbawalas have started to embrace modern information technology, and now allow booking for delivery through SMS.[7] An on-line poll on the web site ensures that customer feedback is given pride of place. The success of the system depends on teamwork and time management that would be the envy of a modern manager. Such is the dedication and commitment of the barely literate and barefoot delivery men (there are only a few delivery women) who form links in the extensive delivery chain, that there is no system of documentation at all. A simple colour coding system doubles as an ID system for the destination and recipient. There are no multiple elaborate layers of management either — just three layers. Each dabbawala is also required to contribute a minimum capital in kind, in the form of two bicycles, a wooden crate for the tiffins, white cotton kurta-pyjamas, and the white trademark Gandhi topi (cap). The return on capital is ensured by monthly division of the earnings of each unit.
Uninterrupted services
The service is uninterrupted even on the days of severe weather such as Mumbai's characteristic monsoons. The local dabbawalas at the receiving and the sending ends are known to the customers personally, so that there is no question of lack of trust. Also, they are well accustomed to the local areas they cater to, which allows them to access any destination with ease. Occasionally, people communicate between home and work by putting messages inside the boxes. However, this was more common before the accessibility of instant telecommunications.
Four thousand five hundred semi-literate dabbawalas collect and deliver 175,000 packages within hours. What should we learn from this unique, simple and highly efficient 120-year-old logistics system?
Hungry kya? What would you like: pizza from the local Domino's (30 minute delivery) or a fresh, hot meal from home? Most managers don't have a choice. It's either a packed lunch or junk food grabbed from a fast food outlet. Unless you live in Mumbai [ Images ], that is, where a small army of 'dabbawalas' picks up 175,000 lunches from homes and delivers them to harried students, managers and workers on every working day. At your desk. 12.30 pm on the dot. Served hot, of course. And now you can even order through the Internet.
The Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association is a streamlined 120-year-old organisation with 4,500 semi-literate members providing a quality door-to-door service to a large and loyal customer base.
How has MTBSA managed to survive through these tumultuous years? The answer lies in a twin process that combines competitive collaboration between team members with a high level of technical efficiency in logistics management. It works like this...
After the customer leaves for work, her lunch is packed into a tiffin provided by the dabbawala. A color-coded notation on the handle identifies its owner and destination. Once the dabbawala has picked up the tiffin, he moves fast using a combination of bicycles, trains and his two feet.
A BBC crew filming dabbawalas in action was amazed at their speed. "Following our dabbawala wasn't easy, our film crew quickly lost him in the congestion of the train station. At Victoria Terminus [ Images ] we found other fast moving dabbawalas, but not our subject... and at Mr Bhapat's ayurvedic pharmacy, the lunch had arrived long before the film crew," the documentary noted wryly. So, how do they work so efficiently?
Team work
The entire system depends on teamwork and meticulous timing. Tiffins are collected from homes between 7.00 am and 9.00 am, and taken to the nearest railway station. At various intermediary stations, they are hauled onto platforms and sorted out for area-wise distribution, so that a single tiffin could change hands three to four times in the course of its daily journey.
At Mumbai's downtown stations, the last link in the chain, a final relay of dabbawalas fan out to the tiffins' destined bellies. Lunch hour over, the whole process moves into reverse and the tiffins return to suburban homes by 6.00 pm.
To better understand the complex sorting process, let's take an example. At Vile Parle Station, there are four groups of dabbawalas, each has twenty members and each member services 40 customers. That makes 3,200 tiffins in all. These 3,200 tiffins are collected by 9.00 am, reach the station and are sorted according to their destinations by 10.00 am when the 'Dabbawala Special' train arrives.
The railway provides sorting areas on platforms as well as special compartments on trains traveling south between 10.00 am and 11.30 am.
During the journey, these 80 dabbawalas regroup according to the number of tiffins to be delivered in a particular area, and not according to the groups they actually belong to. If 150 tiffins are to be delivered in the Grant Road Station area, then four people are assigned to that station, keeping in mind one person can carry no more than 35-40 tiffins.
During the earlier sorting process, each dabbawala would have concentrated on locating only those 40 tiffins under his charge, wherever they come from, and this specialisation makes the entire system efficient and error-free. Typically it takes about ten to fifteen minutes to search, assemble and arrange 40 tiffins onto a crate, and by 12.30 pm they are delivered to offices.
In a way, MTBSA's system is like the Internet. The Internet relies on a concept called packet switching. In packet switched networks, voice or data files are sliced into tiny sachets, each with its own coded address which directs its routing.
These packets are then ferried in bursts, independent of other packets and possibly taking different routes, across the country or the world, and re-assembled at their destination. Packet switching maximises network density, but there is a downside: your packets intermingle with other packets and if the network is overburdened, packets can collide with others, even get misdirected or lost in cyberspace, and almost certainly not arrive on time.
Elegant logistics
In the dabbawalas' elegant logistics system, using 25 kms of public transport, 10 km of footwork and involving multiple transfer points, mistakes rarely happen. According to a Forbes 1998 article, one mistake for every eight million deliveries is the norm. How do they achieve virtual six-sigma quality with zero documentation? For one, the system limits the routing and sorting to a few central points. Secondly, a simple color code determines not only packet routing but packet prioritising as lunches transfer from train to bicycle to foot.
Who are the dabbawalas?
Descendants of soldiers of the legendary Maharashtrian warrior-king Shivaji, dabbawalas belong to the Malva caste, and arrive in Mumbai from places like Rajgurunagar, Akola, Ambegaon, Junnar and Maashi. "We believe in employing people from our own community. So whenever there is a vacancy, elders recommend a relative from their village," says Madhba, a dabbawala.
"Farming earns a pittance, compelling us to move to the city. And the tiffin service is a business of repute since we are not working under anyone. It's our own business, we are partners, it confers a higher status in society," says Sambhaji, another dabbawala. "We earn more than many padha-likha (educated) graduates," adds Khengle smugly.
The proud owner of a BA (Hons) degree, Raghunath Meghe, president of MTBSA, is a rare graduate. He wanted to be a chartered accountant but couldn't complete the course because of family problems. Of his three children, his daughter is a graduate working at ICICI [ Get Quote ], one son is a dabbawala and the younger son is still studying.
Education till standard seven is a minimum prerequisite. According to Meghe, "This system accommodates those who didn't or couldn't finish their studies. It's obvious that those who score good marks go for higher education and not to do this job, but we have people who have studied up to standard twelve who couldn't find respectable jobs." There are only two women dabbawalas.
Apart from commitment and dedication, each dabbawala, like any businessman, has to bring some capital with him. The mini-mum investment is two bicycles (approximately Rs 4,000), a wooden crate for the tiffins (Rs 500), at least one white cotton kurta-pyjama (Rs 600), and Rs 20 for the trademark Gandhi topi.
Competitive collaboration
MTBSA is a remarkably flat organisation with just three tiers: the governing council (president, vice president, general secretary, treasurer and nine directors), the mukadams and the dabbawalas. Its first office was at Grant Road. Today it has offices near most railway stations.
Here nobody is an employer and none are employees. Each dabbawala considers himself a shareholder and entrepreneur.
Surprisingly MTBSA is a fairly recent entity: the service is believed to have started in the 1880s but officially registered itself only in 1968. Growth in membership is organic and dependent on market conditions.
This decentralised organisation assumed its current form in 1970, the most recent date of restructuring. Dabbawalas are divided into sub-groups of fifteen to 25, each supervised by four mukadams. Experienced old-timers, the mukadams are familiar with the colors and codings used in the complex logistics process.
Their key responsibility is sorting tiffins but they play a critical role in resolving disputes; maintaining records of receipts and payments; acquiring new customers; and training junior dabbawalas on handling new customers on their first day.
Each group is financially independent but coordinates with others for deliveries: the service could not exist otherwise. The process is competitive at the customers' end and united at the delivery end.
Each group is also responsible for day-to-day functioning. And, more important, there is no organisational structure, managerial layers or explicit control mechanisms. The rationale behind the business model is to push internal competitiveness, which means that the four Vile Parle groups vie with each other to acquire new customers.
Building a clientele
The range of customers includes students (both college and school), entrepreneurs of small businesses, managers, especially bank staff, and mill workers.
They generally tend to be middle-class citizens who, for reasons of economy, hygiene, caste and dietary restrictions or simply because they prefer whole-some food from their kitchen, rely on the dabbawala to deliver a home cooked mid-day meal.
New customers are generally acquired through referrals. Some are solicited by dabbawalas on railway platforms. Addresses are passed on to the dabbawala operating in the specific area, who then visits the customer to finalize arrangements. Today customers can also log onto the website www.webrishi.com to access the service.
Service charges vary from Rs 150 to Rs 300 per tiffin per month, depending on location and collection time. Money is collected in the first week of every month and remitted to the mukadam on the first Sunday. He then divides the money equally among members of that group. It is assumed that one dabbawala can handle not more than 30-35 customers given that each tiffin weighs around 2 kgs. And this is the benchmark that every group tries to achieve.
Typically, a twenty member group has 675 customers and earns Rs 100,000 per month which is divided equally even if one dabbawala has 40 customers while another has 30. Groups compete with each other, but members within a group do not. It's common sense, points out one dabbawala.
One dabbawala could collect 40 tiffins in the same time that it takes another to collect 30. From his earnings of between Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000, every dabbawala contributes Rs15 per month to the association. The amount is utilised for the community's upliftment, loans and marriage halls at concessional rates. All problems are usually resolved by association officials whose ruling is binding.
Meetings are held in the office on the 15th of every month at the Dadar. During these meetings, particular emphasis is paid to customer service. If a tiffin is lost or stolen, an investigation is promptly instituted. Customers are allowed to deduct costs from any dabbawala found guilty of such a charge.
If a customer complains of poor service, the association can shift the customer's account to another dabbawala. No dabbawala is allowed to undercut another.
Before looking into internal disputes, the association charges a token Rs 100 to ensure that only genuinely aggrieved members interested in a solution come to it with their problems, and the officials' time is not wasted on petty bickering.
Learnings
Logistics is the new mantra for building competitive advantage, the world over. Mumbai's dabbawalas developed their home-grown version long before the term was coined.
Their attitude of competitive collaboration is equally unusual, particularly in India. The operation process is competitive at the customers' end but united at the delivery end, ensuring their survival since a century and more. Is their business model worth replicating in the digital age is the big question.
For More Information Visit: http://www.mydabbawala.org/general/aboutdabbawala.htm
BANDRA -WORLI SEA LINK
Carries : 8 lanes of traffic with 2 lanes dedicated for buses.
Crosses: Mahim Bay
Locate: Mumbai, India
Design : Cable-stayed
Total length : 5.6 kilometers (3 mi)
Opening date:30th June, 2009[1]
connects: Bandrato Worli
The Bandra Worli Sea Link (Marathi: वांद्रे-वरळी सागरी महामार्ग) is an 8-lane, cable-stayed bridge with pre-stressed concrete viaduct approaches, which links Bandra and the western suburbs of Mumbai with Worli and central Mumbai, and is the first phase of the proposed West Island Freeway system. The Rs. 1600 crore ($ 400 Million approx.) project of Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is being executed by Hindustan Construction Company. Designs and Project management is by M/s DAR Consultants. The bridge was inaugurated on 30 June 2009 (Postponed and actually inaugurated on 1 July 2009) by Congress Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. The Sea Link is likely to reduce travel time between Bandra and Worli from 45–60 minutes to 7 minutes.[2]
Contents
1 Overview
2 Challenges
3 Project location
4 Fact Files
5 Features
6 Project Benefits / Other Features
7 Criticism
8 See also
9 References
10 External links
Overview
The Bandra Worli Sea link, under construction, view from the Taj Lands end Hotel.
Project Highlights
It is India's first eight-lane freeway over the open sea and is hailed as a modern Indian engineering marvel. Some statistics on the bridge, its weight is equivalent to 50000 African elephants, the length of the bridge is 63 times the height of the Qutub Minar in Delhi, the height of the cable-stayed tower is 126m(equal to a 43-storey tower) and the length of steel wires used in the project is equivalent to the circumference of the Earth(each cable can take a weight of 900 tons). It was built by a skilled team comprising of the best engineers from India, as well as, other countries including Britain, Canada,China, Egypt, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Philippines, Serbia, Singapore and Switzerland, Monitored by an Intelligent Bridge System with a 16-lane, state-of-the-art toll plaza.
Presently, the Mahim Causeway is the only link connecting the western suburbs to island city of Mumbai. The existing north–southwestern corridor is highly congested and during the peak hours results in a bottleneck at Mahim Causeway. The sea link will act as an alternate route between the western suburbs of Mumbai and central Mumbai, in addition to the existing Mahim Causeway. This link will also form a part of the west island freeway.
Access will be controlled on the Worli end by toll plazas on the Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan Road, and on the Bandra end by toll plazas at Love Grove Junction.
Vehicular traffic measuring about 120,000 PCU travels on the Mahim Causeway everyday and during peak hours and it takes about forty minutes to travel from Mahim to Worli, a distance of about 8 km.
MSRDC has awarded the contract of constructing the Bandra Worli Sea-Link – Package - IV to the Hindustan Construction Company and its foreign partner, the China Harbour Engineering Corporation, which has successfully completed similar projects. HCC has the responsibility of maintaining the bridge during the damage liability period of five years.
The original project design was modified to include two separate towers for the main cable stay bridge. In addition to this, the bridge was realigned around 150 meters into the sea and an additional cable stay bridge was introduced at the Worli side to increase the height of the bridge to accommodate the demands of local fishermen of Worli Koliwada to ease the vessel movement under the bridge closer to their habitat. Due to the change in the scope of work, the project was delayed in the initial stages, which resulted in increased project cost. The Bandra Worli Sea-Link was opened at 12:00 midnight on 30 June 2009.
The Bandra Cable Stay Bridge, part of the Bandra Worli Sea Link (BWSL) was connected to the approach spans on May 27, 2008. This is a significant milestone towards completion of the Sea Link being built by HCC prior to the onset of Mumbai’s monsoon this season.
The Bandra Cable Stay section of the BWSL spans 600 m in length and towers to a height of 126 m (equivalent to a 43 storied building). The Cable Stay system comprises km of high strength galvanized steel wires which support the Cable Stay Bridge weighing 20,000 ton.Ultratech cement was the preffered cement supplier for this project. An engineering marvel and the first ever open Sea Bridge of its kind, the Bandra Worli Sea Link is one of the most complex and advanced construction projects in India.
The project was initiated more than 10 years ago but it was delayed due to public interest litigations. The foundation stone was laid in 1999, by Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray.
The sea-link was inaugurated by Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson, UPA & President, INC, on Tuesday, in the Presence of NCP President Sharad Pawar on June 30th, 2009 [3]
Challenges
No effective traffic management system after the end of the bridge as a signal is supposed to come up at a T-junction in a residential area. Also once traffic is offloaded off the bridge it moves onto a 6 lane road however, two lanes of this road go towards car parking as several buildings on the road do not have the provision for cars to be parked.
The Bridge opens out in front of a school which has students coming in at 8:00am and 11:00am (Peak Traffic Time), no provisions have been made for it.
A party hall is also just about 100 meters from the end of the bridge along Worli Sea Face Road which does not have an underground car park or entrance within the building as a result traffic is forced onto the main road which makes just about 2 lanes for travel possible at lunch time and the entire night after 7pm.
Worli Sea Face also offloads onto a road where a overpass had been built originally for the old plan of the bridge to move traffic but now it will create a huge problem as the cars must move below it where only 3 lanes are available. Also on either side of this road, there is a temple (Markandeshwar Mandir) and a shopping mall (Atria Shopping Mall). So the question of eased off traffic is totally nonexistent.
The toll for using the bridge is currently expected to be around Rs 50 (~$1) for passenger cars and Rs 100 (~$2) for large buses and trucks, each one way trip. This toll is reasonable; given the fact that there will be considerable savings in time and fuel cost. There will be no waiver off for any special type of vehicles. Approximately 32000 vehicles, mostly passenger cars, are currently using the sea link on a daily basis.
A bridge which is 5.6 km in length.The entry to the bridge from mahim causeway is approx a little more then 1.5 km and the exit to old passport office(worli) is another 1 km. So the total length from Mahim to Worli is more then 8.2 km, plus a toll fee of Rs 50/- on one time use. The total length from Mahim to Worli(old passport office) the old way is 5.2 km. So they make a new road which is more expensive to travel then the old one and longer too.
The amount of time taken from Mahim to Worli is usually 25 mins. The time taken to enter the BWSL and get out at worli seaface will be 15- 20 mins once the toll starts.The fuel utilized will be the same on both the sides but the toll money will be extra money spent for a little about 15 mins. So most people will travel by the same old road and therefore the purpose of the bridge will be wasted.
As a result of constant change of plans and other delays the cost of the bridge has risen 6 fold from Rs.300 Crore to Rs.1800 Crore. The amount of time to recover this cost would be at least 10 years which is pretty normal for an infrastructure project of this magnitude.
Project location
The project starts from the Interchange at Mahim (i.e. intersection of Western Express Highway and Swami Vivekanand road at Bandra) and connects to Worli at Worli end with overall length of 5.6 km for the entire project.
A cloverleaf interchange at Mahim intersection and a flyover at the Lovegrove intersection have been proposed as part of this project to enhance the faster and safe traffic dispersal.
Fact Files
First & Unique of its type in Mumbai.
Project Cost of Rs.1650 Crores [Rs.16.50 Billion INR](about 330 Million US Dollar).
Rs. 9 Crore alone will be just the cost of illuminating the bridge.
Made with about 38000 KM Long Steel Ropes, 575000 tonnes of Concrete & 6000 Workers.
Toll Cost Estimated about Rs.40 to Rs.50 /-
Will save about 1 Hour of Travel Time & 100 crores of Vehicle Operating Cost for a 7 km distance.
An estimate of about 125000 Vehicles will be using daily. [4]
Features
An 8-lane bridge with 2 lanes dedicated for buses.
Unique bridge design for the Link Bridge to emerge as a landmark structure in the city.
Single tower supported 500 metre long cable-stayed bridge at Bandra Channel and twin tower supported 350 m cable-stayed bridge at Worli Channel for each carriageway.
Modern toll plaza of 16 lanes with automated toll collection system.
An intelligent bridge with state-of-the-art systems for traffic monitoring, surveillance, information and guidance, instrumentation, emergency support, etc.
Development of promenade and landscaping to enhance the environment.
Project Benefits / Other Features
Estimated savings in Vehicle Operating Costs (VOC): Rs. 100 Crores per annul[citation needed].
Mumbai gets a new landmark.
Criticism
The Bandra-Worli link is a short stretch that does not even cover the western shore, as envisaged two decades ago. It took ages because of design changes and payment disputes. The trans-harbour bridge creek has been bid for twice yet not awarded to anybody[5].
2 Challenges
3 Project location
4 Fact Files
5 Features
6 Project Benefits / Other Features
7 Criticism
8 See also
9 References
10 External links
Overview
The Bandra Worli Sea link, under construction, view from the Taj Lands end Hotel.
Project Highlights
It is India's first eight-lane freeway over the open sea and is hailed as a modern Indian engineering marvel. Some statistics on the bridge, its weight is equivalent to 50000 African elephants, the length of the bridge is 63 times the height of the Qutub Minar in Delhi, the height of the cable-stayed tower is 126m(equal to a 43-storey tower) and the length of steel wires used in the project is equivalent to the circumference of the Earth(each cable can take a weight of 900 tons). It was built by a skilled team comprising of the best engineers from India, as well as, other countries including Britain, Canada,China, Egypt, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Philippines, Serbia, Singapore and Switzerland, Monitored by an Intelligent Bridge System with a 16-lane, state-of-the-art toll plaza.
Presently, the Mahim Causeway is the only link connecting the western suburbs to island city of Mumbai. The existing north–southwestern corridor is highly congested and during the peak hours results in a bottleneck at Mahim Causeway. The sea link will act as an alternate route between the western suburbs of Mumbai and central Mumbai, in addition to the existing Mahim Causeway. This link will also form a part of the west island freeway.
Access will be controlled on the Worli end by toll plazas on the Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan Road, and on the Bandra end by toll plazas at Love Grove Junction.
Vehicular traffic measuring about 120,000 PCU travels on the Mahim Causeway everyday and during peak hours and it takes about forty minutes to travel from Mahim to Worli, a distance of about 8 km.
MSRDC has awarded the contract of constructing the Bandra Worli Sea-Link – Package - IV to the Hindustan Construction Company and its foreign partner, the China Harbour Engineering Corporation, which has successfully completed similar projects. HCC has the responsibility of maintaining the bridge during the damage liability period of five years.
The original project design was modified to include two separate towers for the main cable stay bridge. In addition to this, the bridge was realigned around 150 meters into the sea and an additional cable stay bridge was introduced at the Worli side to increase the height of the bridge to accommodate the demands of local fishermen of Worli Koliwada to ease the vessel movement under the bridge closer to their habitat. Due to the change in the scope of work, the project was delayed in the initial stages, which resulted in increased project cost. The Bandra Worli Sea-Link was opened at 12:00 midnight on 30 June 2009.
The Bandra Cable Stay Bridge, part of the Bandra Worli Sea Link (BWSL) was connected to the approach spans on May 27, 2008. This is a significant milestone towards completion of the Sea Link being built by HCC prior to the onset of Mumbai’s monsoon this season.
The Bandra Cable Stay section of the BWSL spans 600 m in length and towers to a height of 126 m (equivalent to a 43 storied building). The Cable Stay system comprises km of high strength galvanized steel wires which support the Cable Stay Bridge weighing 20,000 ton.Ultratech cement was the preffered cement supplier for this project. An engineering marvel and the first ever open Sea Bridge of its kind, the Bandra Worli Sea Link is one of the most complex and advanced construction projects in India.
The project was initiated more than 10 years ago but it was delayed due to public interest litigations. The foundation stone was laid in 1999, by Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray.
The sea-link was inaugurated by Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson, UPA & President, INC, on Tuesday, in the Presence of NCP President Sharad Pawar on June 30th, 2009 [3]
Challenges
No effective traffic management system after the end of the bridge as a signal is supposed to come up at a T-junction in a residential area. Also once traffic is offloaded off the bridge it moves onto a 6 lane road however, two lanes of this road go towards car parking as several buildings on the road do not have the provision for cars to be parked.
The Bridge opens out in front of a school which has students coming in at 8:00am and 11:00am (Peak Traffic Time), no provisions have been made for it.
A party hall is also just about 100 meters from the end of the bridge along Worli Sea Face Road which does not have an underground car park or entrance within the building as a result traffic is forced onto the main road which makes just about 2 lanes for travel possible at lunch time and the entire night after 7pm.
Worli Sea Face also offloads onto a road where a overpass had been built originally for the old plan of the bridge to move traffic but now it will create a huge problem as the cars must move below it where only 3 lanes are available. Also on either side of this road, there is a temple (Markandeshwar Mandir) and a shopping mall (Atria Shopping Mall). So the question of eased off traffic is totally nonexistent.
The toll for using the bridge is currently expected to be around Rs 50 (~$1) for passenger cars and Rs 100 (~$2) for large buses and trucks, each one way trip. This toll is reasonable; given the fact that there will be considerable savings in time and fuel cost. There will be no waiver off for any special type of vehicles. Approximately 32000 vehicles, mostly passenger cars, are currently using the sea link on a daily basis.
A bridge which is 5.6 km in length.The entry to the bridge from mahim causeway is approx a little more then 1.5 km and the exit to old passport office(worli) is another 1 km. So the total length from Mahim to Worli is more then 8.2 km, plus a toll fee of Rs 50/- on one time use. The total length from Mahim to Worli(old passport office) the old way is 5.2 km. So they make a new road which is more expensive to travel then the old one and longer too.
The amount of time taken from Mahim to Worli is usually 25 mins. The time taken to enter the BWSL and get out at worli seaface will be 15- 20 mins once the toll starts.The fuel utilized will be the same on both the sides but the toll money will be extra money spent for a little about 15 mins. So most people will travel by the same old road and therefore the purpose of the bridge will be wasted.
As a result of constant change of plans and other delays the cost of the bridge has risen 6 fold from Rs.300 Crore to Rs.1800 Crore. The amount of time to recover this cost would be at least 10 years which is pretty normal for an infrastructure project of this magnitude.
Project location
The project starts from the Interchange at Mahim (i.e. intersection of Western Express Highway and Swami Vivekanand road at Bandra) and connects to Worli at Worli end with overall length of 5.6 km for the entire project.
A cloverleaf interchange at Mahim intersection and a flyover at the Lovegrove intersection have been proposed as part of this project to enhance the faster and safe traffic dispersal.
Fact Files
First & Unique of its type in Mumbai.
Project Cost of Rs.1650 Crores [Rs.16.50 Billion INR](about 330 Million US Dollar).
Rs. 9 Crore alone will be just the cost of illuminating the bridge.
Made with about 38000 KM Long Steel Ropes, 575000 tonnes of Concrete & 6000 Workers.
Toll Cost Estimated about Rs.40 to Rs.50 /-
Will save about 1 Hour of Travel Time & 100 crores of Vehicle Operating Cost for a 7 km distance.
An estimate of about 125000 Vehicles will be using daily. [4]
Features
An 8-lane bridge with 2 lanes dedicated for buses.
Unique bridge design for the Link Bridge to emerge as a landmark structure in the city.
Single tower supported 500 metre long cable-stayed bridge at Bandra Channel and twin tower supported 350 m cable-stayed bridge at Worli Channel for each carriageway.
Modern toll plaza of 16 lanes with automated toll collection system.
An intelligent bridge with state-of-the-art systems for traffic monitoring, surveillance, information and guidance, instrumentation, emergency support, etc.
Development of promenade and landscaping to enhance the environment.
Project Benefits / Other Features
Estimated savings in Vehicle Operating Costs (VOC): Rs. 100 Crores per annul[citation needed].
Mumbai gets a new landmark.
Criticism
The Bandra-Worli link is a short stretch that does not even cover the western shore, as envisaged two decades ago. It took ages because of design changes and payment disputes. The trans-harbour bridge creek has been bid for twice yet not awarded to anybody[5].
BEHIND THE PROJECT
Bandra Worli Sea Link Project has been one of the most
highly recommended project of all the transport studies
done for the metropolitan region during the last forty years.
At present, Mahim causeway is the only link connecting
western suburbs to island city of Mumbai. The existing north south
western corridor is highly congested and during the peak hours
results in a bottleneck at Mahim Causeway.
Vehicular traffic admeasuring about 1,20,000 PCU travels on
the Mahim causeway everyday and during peak hours and
it takes about forty minutes to travel from Mahim causeway to Worli,
a distance of about 8 km.
ALIGNMENT Project Location
Express Highway and Swami Vivekanand road at Bandra and connects to Worli at Worli end with overall length of 5.6 kms for the entire project.
A cloverleaf interchange at Mahim intersection and a flyover at the Lovegrove intersection have been proposed as part of this project to enhance the faster and safe traffic dispersal.
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What is the Status?
Present Progress
Progress Photographs
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BANDRA WORLI SEA LINK PROJECT
connecting island and suburbs of mumbai
Copyright 2008-2009 Dar Consultants (I) Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
HOME PROJECT DETAILS BENEFITS FEATURES CONTACT US
Schedule of Toll rates will be announced soon.
South carriageway opened to traffic from 1st July 2009.
Construction of the project link will provide an additional fast moving outlet from the island city to the western suburbs & thereby providing much needed relief to the congested Mahim Causeway. This link will also form a part of the western freeway.
MSRDC, as a part of this project has appointed M/s Dar Consultants (U.K) Ltd. & M/s Dar Consultants (India) Pvt. Ltd. to design, proof check and supervise the various components of the project.
Michael Jackson Tryst with Mumbai 1996
Jackson performed at a packed concert here in 1996. The event was organised by Shiv Udyog Sena, an outfit floated by then Shiv Sena leader Raj Thackeray with the objective of providing jobs to 27 lakh youth in Maharashtra. The popstar arrived in Mumbai on October 30 and was greeted in traditional Indian style by actress Sonali Bendre, who wore a traditional Maharashtrian saree for the occasion. The actress welcomed Jackson by performing 'aarti' and applying 'tilak' on his forehead, at the Mumbai airport. The popstar, when being driven in a 20-car motorcade from the air port, stopped his Toyota to meet the urchins lined up along the highway to catch a glimpse of him. Jackson visited Sena chief Bal Thackeray's residence, 'Matoshree', in suburban Bandra. The Thackerays presented him with a silver 'tabla' and 'tanpura'. During his stay at The Oberoi Hotel, Jackson surprised the entire staff by mingling freely among his fans, who thronged at the hotel to catch a glimpse of the 'King of Pop'. "He greeted his fans with smiles and by blowing kisses and shook hands with as many of them as possible," hotel sources recount. India Abroad 11-08-1996 Michael Jackson Grips Fans at Mumbai Concert. Until the moment Michael Jackson's private jet touched the runway at Sahar International Airport on Oct. 30, no one was willing to wager a bet that the King of Pop would keep his historical tryst with Mumbai. And from the moment the pop icon emerged from the airport and cooed his standard "I love you all very much," Jacksonomania gripped this Western Indian metropolis, making even normally sensible people do funny things.Hillary Clinton arrives in Mumbai on 5-day India visit
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived here tonight on a five-day visit to India during which the two countries will launch a new chapter in their strategic partnership and deepen their engagement.
The former US first lady, Clinton, on her first visit to India as US's chief diplomat will be spending the night at the Tower Wing of the Taj Hotel in an act of solidarity with the victims of the Mumbai terror attack on November 26 last.
Clinton flew in shortly after 10 PM from Prague where her special aircraft had a refuelling halt after the flight from Washington. It is her first foreign trip since she broke an elbow.
A thick blanket of security was thrown around the Colaba area of south Mumbai where the Taj hotel is located and hundreds of security personnel were deployed to provide cover for the visiting US dignitary.
Clinton will be meeting top Indian business leaders, visiting a centre of the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) and paying tributes to martyrs' of the 26/11 attacks during her stay in the city.
She is expected to leave for New Delhi on Sunday.
In the Capital, Clinton will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and hold talks with External Affairs Minister S M Krishna. She will also meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition L K Advani. She is also due to deliver a lecture at the Delhi university.
Clinton's aircraft landed at Mumbai at 10:20 pm, a senior official said.
Kamathipura (RED LIGHT AREA)
Kamathipura (also spelled Kamthipura) is Mumbai's oldest and Asia's largest red-light district. The area was set up by the British for their troops, which acted as their official "comfort zone". This small region boasted the most exotic consorts. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, a large number women and girls from continental Europe and Japan were trafficked into Kamathipura, where they worked as prostitutes servicing both British soldiers and local Indian men.[1][2] When the British left India, the Indian sex workers took over. In recent decades, large numbers of Nepalese women and girls have also been trafficked into the district as sex workers.[3]
Excerpt from the website accompanying Andrew Levine's documentary, 'The day my God died':
"I was in the middle of Kamthipura, the largest red light district in the world, and I didn’t even know it. With camera in hand, my girlfriend (who is now my wife) at my side, I was assaulted by smells and snapping away. Later I learned that every vile desire a man could dream of was for sale and child virgins were the region’s most noted delicacies."
Today, it is said that there are so many brothels in the area, that there is no space for the sex workers to sit in. They hang around in the streets, solicit customers and then rent a free bed.
The late Mr. Linganna Puttal Pujari (1915-1999), who migrated to Bombay from Nizamabad in Andhra Pradesh in the year 1928, a prominent social worker and city and state legislator, was largely responsible for most of the civic amenities available to the residents of Kamathipura today.
Some historical sources point out that the origin of slums, subsequently the red-light areas of Mumbai (previously Bombay) including Kamathipura is related to land acquisition, from the indigenous locals who were evicted from their farmlands and cattle-fields and forced themselves to live in congested conditions, for the development of the industrial harbor city. At the early stages, people accumulated in the new slums partly depended on constructions contracts. But later, as men became unemployed due to lack of job, more and more women turned up selling themselves in the red-streets of the town for livelihood. Now these streets are just playgrounds for human traffickers and mafia in addition to the economic refugees who came to these areas during the past years.
once i wnet to kamathipura for some social awarenhess programme i was really amazed and worried a lot because of the moment i saw there,one lady came to the tea shop and asked a cup of milk for her child and the shopkeeper deman 5 rs to her she told i will give later or come to my house and she went the shopkeeper really who helped me a lot to collect the detail about kamathipura and he took me to that lady's house hat was a small single bed room and she invited us her 2 year baby playing around the bed and he asked give the 5 rs she told i have no paise and come and take me for 25 rs just for 30 min and shopkeeper doesn't consider me and took her to the bed i was there and i could not come out due to heavy rain and some security purpose he an her made sx infront of me and her child after that embrasing moment i found just for her baby's milk she shared her bed oh god please take care of them
Varadarajan Muniswami Mudaliar (1926–1988)
Varadarajan Muniswami Mudaliar aka Vardhabhai (1926–1988) was a Tamil immigrant from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, who rose to be a mafia don in Bombay, India. Most active in the 1970s, he was the link in the underworld history between old time mafia men such as Haji Mastan, and the current system with the likes of Dawood Ibrahim.
Varadarajan started as a porter in Bombay's Victoria Terminus Station in the 1960s. His emergence in the underworld was largely through bootlegging and matka operations. Later, he diversified into contract killings, smuggling and dock thefts. He ruled the underworld well in to the 1980s. In the 1980s, he almost ran a parallel judiciary system, dispensing justice within his community. He organized the annual Ganesha festival, a lavish affair.
Varadarajan Mudaliar came into light after the reign of Karim Lala. At that time, Karim Lala, Varadarajan and Haji Mastan were the trio that ruled the Bombay underworld. It is said that these three had good standings with their communities and looked after their interests. However, after the collapse of the cotton mills in Bombay in the mid 1980s, their relevance was ended.
Varadarajan was very active in the Matunga and Dharavi areas of Bombay. In the mid 1980s, Varadarajan met his nemesis, police officer Y C Pawar. By the end of the 1980s, most of Varadarajan's gang members had been imprisoned or eliminated by Pawar, and Varadarajan himself had to flee to Chennai. Varadarajan died in Madras in 1988, aged 62.
In 1987, the Tamil film maker Mani Ratnam made his film Nayakan, loosely based on Varadarajan's life. Actor Kamal Hassan played the lead role.
The Hindi movie Dayavan, produced and directed by Feroz Khan (released : 21 October 1988) was based loosely on the life of Vardarajan.
Vardhabhai sought assistance from Tilak Nagar-based gangster Rajan Nair alias Baba Rajan to protect his territories and neutralise threats from rivals like Lala and Mastan. While the Pathan gang was beefed up with the entry of Samad Khan, Reshim soon made it as a leader in the docks.
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