By the time yours truly was midway through moderating the panel discussion themed on The Futures of Mumbai, with expert speakers Hussain Indorewala, Sameer Kulavoor, and Shilpa Phadke, along with Professor Mustansir Dalvi, at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, the writing was on the wall, in bold letters. We desperately need a 360-degree action plan to resuscitate Mumbai’s existence, and also maintain its health, given its precarious geographic location. Executable ideas and realistic solutions were flowing thick and fast among the panellists, so there was much to feel upbeat about despite the gloom and doom.

Earlier in the day, senior journalist and author, Sidharth Bhatia flagged things off in his keynote address by highlighting the human cost of Mumbai’s development. He spelt out the contrast where developers, planners, and glossy ads propped up a future of swish townships modelled after Singapore or Dubai, while there was zero vision for its ordinary citizens who couldn’t afford these multi-crore residences. Issues like the fact that 50 per cent of the city’s population lived in slums, or were being relocated to wastelands and salt pans, were also dissected. However, amidst the harsh realities, Bhatia drew inspiration from its working-class heroes who offered hope and positivity.