Mumbai is seeing an unparalleled metamorphosis as the first quarter of the twenty-first century draws to a conclusion. Having been given to the English in 1665, this small port town has grown into a vast city in its 360th year. In 1925, Bombay’s skyline was characterised by mill chimneys on the lowlands and lush trees above hills. When we fast-forward to 2025, the skyscrapers that dominate Greater Mumbai’s profile.
The oft-repeated phrase, “Mumbai is a land-starved city,” is frequently used to justify high-rise development. However, the real concern with high-density vertical expansion is not what happens above but the burdens created below. While skyscrapers promise to redefine the cityscape, they do little to address ground-level issues—and may even exacerbate them.
Contextual integration is lacking in several high-rise developments in Mumbai. A building’s relationship to its surroundings, let alone whether it blends in with the ground it stands on, is rarely taken into account by architects. As if to separate the dream of skyscrapers from the reality on the ground, real estate ads used to feature abstract pictures instead of actual buildings, such as floating clouds of smoke.
Global cities have demonstrated innovative high-rise models. The Linked Hybrid in Beijing, designed by Stephen Holl, interconnects skyscraper blocks with elevated pedestrian streets. Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands by Moshe Safdie exemplifies how rooftop spaces can integrate amenities and recreational zones across multiple towers. Another striking example is The Interlace in Singapore, designed by OMA and Ole Scheeren, whose unique clustered arrangement could have inspired redevelopment models for Mumbai’s dense BDD Chawls.
Mumbai has a long history of impressive skyscrapers. Notable early examples include Charles Correa’s internationally acclaimed Kanchanjunga and Usha Kiran, the city’s first apartment skyscraper. Newer construction under the Development Plan has eclipsed other early high-rises, including Woodlands and Petit Towers on Cumballa Hill (DCPR-2034).
Among older skyscrapers in heritage precincts, the Jeejeebhoy Towers of the Bombay Stock Exchange stands out, with its curved façade and podium design that respects its original footprint. In contrast, the imposing slab of the Reserve Bank of India building disrupts the architectural harmony of the Town Hall precinct. Today, more high-rises are emerging in Fort, a designated heritage zone, raising concerns about unregulated growth.
Development incentives are applied indiscriminately to different plots under DCPR-2034, ignoring important aspects including public safety, utilities, and infrastructure capacity. High-rise structures may be an indication of misaligned urban planning priorities in places like Fort, where space is already limited. Policy changes have fostered a demand-driven approach that prioritises real estate speculation above sustainable development, rather than addressing actual housing needs.
Older walk-up apartments that once preserved a human-scale cityscape and pedestrian-friendly access to public transportation are being replaced by new high-rises, many of which have multilevel parking. On the other hand, well-planned communities such as Powai’s Hiranandani Gardens guarantee sufficient distance between towers. In contrast, cluster redevelopment, which aims to combine several plots into gated complexes, frequently falls short in providing adequate road widening or necessary social facilities.
It will be 2034, the next cycle for updating the city’s Development Plan, by the time Mumbai revaluates its development decisions. Will the skyline undergo an irreparable change or will it signify a new vision for urban sustainability? The future DP might face a different obstacle—demolition—if the 1967 DP established the Floor Space Index (FSI), the 1991 DP extended development rights through Transferable Development Rights (TDR), and the 2017–2034 DP advocated for aggressive real estate expansion.
With Mumbai relentlessly competing for “Tall, taller, tallest,” the city’s next chapter may not be about reaching new heights, but finding a way back to the ground.
Source: The Times Of India
