Mumbai’s Borivali has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past five decades, with an old property advertisement highlighting just how sharply residential values have changed. A listing published in 1976 offered a 453-sq-ft apartment in the suburb for only Rs 25,000.
The two-room unit, with a kitchen, bathroom and WC, would broadly be described as a 1BHK by today’s terminology, although property classifications in newspaper advertisements during the 1970s were not standardised.
The advertisement stated that buyers could pay by cheque and would receive possession within 10 months. It also invited prospective purchasers to inspect the property on January 4, 1976.
The historical listing has renewed interest in Borivali’s property evolution. Today, average residential values in the suburb are estimated at around Rs 32,000- Rs 35,000 per sq ft, while premium developments have recorded transactions ranging from approximately Rs 40,000 to Rs 54,000 per sq ft.
The change is also reflected in personal accounts shared online. Manik Shah, whose name was changed, recalled that his father purchased a 480-sq-ft 1BHK on SV Road in Dahisar in 1973 for roughly Rs 28,000, or about ₹60 per sq ft. The building was subsequently redeveloped, and the family is expected to receive a 600-sq-ft 2BHK.
“If we go to sell it by the time it is ready, we would get Rs 28,000 per sq ft, which is around Rs 1.60 crore,” Shah told Hindustan Times Real Estate.
Borivali’s rise has been closely linked to improved suburban railway and road connectivity, expanding civic infrastructure and Mumbai’s northward growth.
Historically, the area developed from a collection of villages and agricultural settlements, including Eksar, Poisar, Vazira, Shimpoli, Mandpeshwar and Gorai. Its proximity to Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Kanheri Caves also contributed to its distinct character.
Over the decades, rapid urbanisation transformed Borivali into an established residential market featuring large housing societies, redevelopment projects and premium high-rise developments.
Source: Hindustan Times
