Our Mumbai for 2015

Krutika BehrawalaAt the onset of 2015 I would love to see a few changes in the city Letrsquos implement affordable ferry services connecting South Mumbai with the suburbs This will save us time and how I also feel that there are very few singlefriendly options in the city Restaurants should adapt the concept of lsquoTable for onersquo with separate menus comprising suitable quantities or certain items on them that can be cooked in a jiffy for the solo eaters And lastly bookstores and libraries should extend their timings till midnight and provide cubicles to their patrons This would not only help the bookworms read uninterrupted but also students who need to burn the midnight oil and may not have their own spaceSuprita MitterI have always considered myself a Mumbaikar before most other things I love this city Herersquos my personal wish list of a few things I think could make my city even more magical than it already is in 2015 For starters please hold more cultural festivals in the central suburbs which are otherwise deprived of these gems Letrsquos save us the annual trip to Goa and organise flea markets and night bazaars at Juhu and Girgaum Chowpatty Also housing societies should be encouraged to provide space for schooling of children of their service providers such as sweepers guards etc It is commonly known that thousands flock to our lsquoCity Of Dreamsrsquo enamoured by Bollywood A version of organised studio tours like the Universal studio tour that is popular the world over would be a terrific salute to our film culture Lastly and importantly wersquod like for the menfolk to live the term lsquogentlemenrsquo and make this city safe for womenFiona FernandezWersquove cringed while spotting busloads of foreign tourists go triggercrazy at spots like Dhobi Ghat SRKrsquos bungalow and Hanging Gardens What about the rest This New Year I wish that our state tourism ministry does a lot more than be content with promoting the typical oftseen city landmarks and sights A serious 360degree approach must be adopted where the concerned departments ensure that guided tours and walks incorporate and celebrate the real Mumbai mdash its landmarks its cultural spaces its film studios and other sights of historic significance that shaped the city Funds should be infused in the right places Information must be provided at iconic sights with audio guides and information kiosks Vandalism of such sites is another concern that continues unchecked Graffiti on the facades of Elephanta Caves and CST are examples of this concern If we wish to be regarded as a leading city in Asia let alone the world we cannot afford to neglect this integral element of our dynamic and rich legacySoma DasThe city needs more parks Abroad big cities can boast of Central Park and Hyde Park that provide much needed free space for public recreation In Mumbai uncontrolled urbanisation has led to green places only being reserved behind gated communities you pay for empty space today in big housing societies This isnrsquot affordable to all One of the success stories is Maharashtra Nature Park One of my favourite places is the Bombay Port Trust GardenHassan M KamalBack home while growing up there was no better escape from the mundane school life than watching the film Sholay every Sunday at an openair public screening In spite of the same scenes being played every weekend we always returned home inspired and rejuvenated I hope that one day we in Mumbai can watch films in the open where we can live the magic of cinema outside the confined doors of airconditioned theatres and tiny chairsDhara VoraOf the several songs written about Mumbai the lyrics lsquoSone ki Raaho mein Sone ko Jagah nahirsquo from Taxi No 9211 have always struck a chord And it is these streets of Mumbai that need to get more empowered Kolkata has College Street for finding that obscure book your friend just recommended we have Hutatma Chowk though it isnrsquot as resourceful as it used to be once Colaba Causeway has always been my favourite place for a bargain buy though the stalls arenrsquot a constant due to legal issues Linking Road is a designated space but it turns into a monster for residents on holidays when at the closing of the day the streets are littered with plastic wraps A place like Delhirsquos Sarojini Market which stands on its own would be a budgetshopperrsquos delight The same goes for our street food stalls Better organisation in terms of waste disposal traffic monitoring and hygiene and designated areas will do wonders for our food industry