The dethroned queen of suburbia

Prahlad Kakkar isn't surprised that the residents of Bandra aren't really the loyal subjects they were a couple of decades ago. Neither does the ad guru sport his usual shocked expression when told that the Queen of the Suburbs has been dethroned and logged in 5th in the recent DNA-IMRS best localities poll (See DNA Sunday edition dated May 6, 2007).

The poll asked Mumbaikars to evaluate localities on the basis of five parameters — housing, education, infrastructure and medical facilities, entertainment, living conditions and support systems.

“Bandra used to be the Goa of Mumbai: clean, green and laid back.  And just like  the Goa of today, it has become congested, polluted and quite impossible to navigate. The quaintness is vanishing and is being replaced by concrete monstrosities,” Kakkar says.

His impressions are borne out by the DNA-IMRS poll of 2300 Mumbaikars, which placed Dadar-Shivaji Park, Lower Parel, Andheri West and Worli, in that order, ahead of Bandra.

The poll finds that over 65 per cent of people living in Bandra don’t find the property prices or rental rates realistic. “I want to shift from my 1BHK flat to a 2BHK one. I have no option but to shift towards Santa Cruz,” says Dr D N Patil of Bandra Reclamation.

Cushman & Wakefield’s latest realty figures are an eye-opener too. The year-on-year increase of residential capital values has been 27 per cent, while the year-on-year increase of residential rental values has been 40 per cent.

The poll also finds that over 45 per cent feel that the roads in Bandra are not up to the mark, while over 60 per cent feel that navigating the once quaint and narrow lanes of the suburb takes far too long.

“I was born and brought up in Bandra and I know its lush green, peaceful past. Today it takes more than 30 minutes to cross a half kilometre stretch at Hill Road. Maybe it is time for me to move on,” says 26-year-old Sajit Tadvi, who is a process executive with financial services BPO E-Serve.

Tadvi’s despondency is reflected in the survey, which finds that over 70 per cent of Bandraites feel that air and noise pollution has increased in the last five years, while over 80 per cent feel that the once efficient garbage disposal system is fraying at the edges.
Radio professional and creative media consultant Siraj Syed has been a Bandra resident for over 30 years and offers a perspective that puts the poll results in context.

“I have lived here since 1967. The old bungalows are vanishing and the traffic has increased tremendously. The constant digging hasn’t helped matters either. The air is dirtier and our ears are constantly under assault,” Syed says. “I have a flat in Powai and that area reminds me of how Bandra used to be.”

But hardcore Bandraites can take heart: their locality still rocks the crowd the best. Not only did it score first rank in all of Mumbai for its entertainment and recreational facilities — pubs, multiplexes, restaurants, malls and gyms — over 85 per cent felt that they wouldn’t mind travelling to Bandra for a good night out. 

“It is true Bandra has become crowded. That’s because the area has the best restaurants, gyms and pubs. But I will not change my place,” says Bollywood actor and yesteryear villain Prem Chopra.

Fellow actor Chunky Pandey concurs. “I won’t shift out of Bandra, no one gets bored here. Even the congestion is temporary. Once Bandra-Worli Sealink comes up, it will be eased,” he says.