Situated in the heart of Mumbai and home to a diverse migrant community, G-South ward today upholds the composite legacy of Mumbai’s history and consolidation from a port city to an industrial megapolis. Defined by distinct historical timelines and narratives, spanning indigenous fishing communities and repurposed erstwhile mill estates, the ward today is composed of a unique blend of the old and the new.
Rising skylines, corporate office complexes, rapid urban development and gentrification, arts and cultural centres and hip cafes frequented by young people, all coexist simultaneously with urban fishing villages or gaothans, disputed mill land, forgotten cultural heritage sites such as the Worli Fort, and a precarious, polluted shore-line. Tall brick chimneys that punctuate the transforming skyline, and the many derelict but sprawling mill compounds such as Shakti Mills, sharply outline the economic backbone that shaped this industrializing Bombay a century ago. The contours of prosperity, recast today through a real-estate boom and the creation of the vertical city, severely challenge the legacy of this historic context. One cannot deny that the ward has a charming character albeit filled with contradictions that need to be considered and engaged with in order to co-create a resilient neighbourhood.
Being the Gateway to South Mumbai, G South Ward presents a unique and evocative location. From the Haji Ali Dargah to the Worli Koliwada, to the promenades, the railways and the transformed mills, it gives us a chance to revive lost livelihoods, showcase sub-cultures and migration and celebrate diversity by bringing the local population together.
It is also home to G5A’s refurbished Warehouse and cultural centre and serves as our urban laboratory and incubator to create resilient and responsible communities through a civic and arts-based approach. As advocates, facilitators and catalysts, G5A’s commitment towards creating a community oriented, sustainable and replicable model for a culturally vibrant, inclusive and livable city begins right here.
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