An Inquiry into Mumbai’s Evolving Skyline Post Liberalization and How it is Redefining the Image of the City: A Case of Lower Parel Region

Abstract

Mumbai, India’s bustling financial center, is a city of contrasts. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats; it has always faced problems with limited land and a growing population. This has led to a unique urban landscape dominated by skyscrapers and high-rises. These structures have not only reshaped the city’s skyline but also its image. The Lower Parel area, that was once dominated by a lot of textile mills went to a shift in the late 20th century as these mills closed down and then redeveloped later. The resultant of which was seen as these tall buildings symbolizing aspiration & also adaptation of Mumbai’s cultural, economic, and social fabric in response to the demands of a rapidly changing urban environment. This paper aims into Mumbai’s ongoing transformation, focusing on the rise of buildings post economic liberalization & what were the key political, economic & social factors responsible for the change by specifically examining the transformation of Lower Parel area & how it is redefining the image of the city. A mixed method approach is used to study the changing image with a theoretical framework analysing the Physical, socio-cultural & cognitive components. The findings from the research could help us understand how the urban transformation of Mumbai from textile hub to financial hub took place resulting in the change in the image of the city. (Patel, 2004)