Encroachment of land in Mumbai

‘When the plot of land which was being taken over to build a luxury apartment tower, was already being used by a public hospital viz-a-viz the Sion Hospital for more than 25 years’. File | Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini

The average Mumbaikar’s plight has become like that of the poor peasant in Tagore’s epic poem Dui Bigha Jomi (two bighas of land), in which the poor man says to his zamindar –“O Lord, countless are the plots of land you already own, But consider — I only have land enough to bury me when I’m gone!”. The zamindar brushes him aside saying — “Your half-acre will allow me to design a lovely fountain”. The poor peasant replies: “Spare this poor man’s land, or else he dies!”

Today, the average Mumbaikar occupies two positions when it comes to land ownership. Is he from the builders’ lobby (the zamindars of today) or is he a poor Mumbaikar (today’s landless farmer) whose only remaining Dui Bigha Jomi is being taken away from him? Zamindari exists in India’s financial capital today. And it is called ‘Builderdari’.

Rise of the builderdari

The plight of the common Mumbaikar is worse than that of the farmer in Tagore’s poem for he has no access to the builderdar. He cannot even meet him or speak with him to plead his case. And right under his very nose, he is forced out of his land — land which should have been for him; for the public; for the millions of aam Mumbaikars.