‘When we started,someone said there are 15 impossible things. We have conquered 12. Maybe three remaining is not so bad’

Before we get started,can you tell us what is it that makes the Bohris different? We just know you to be very rich people,very enterprising,we know you are found everywhere and we know that everybody loves you.

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Bhanpurawala: We are popularly known as very humble people. We are very loyal,and basically what makes us different is we follow one leader,His Holiness Dr Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin. We are a knitted community,worldwide community. We are nearly one million people all over the world and we are on one platform — whatever Syedna says we follow. That is our motto.

We are standing in front of the Roza Tahera,which I would loosely translate as ‘mazaar of the pure’. This is the mazaar of the Syedna’s late father.

Bhanpurawala: Syedna Taher.

It’s the holiest place for the community.

Bhanpurawala: Let me tell you something about the Roza Tahera. This is the only place in the entire Islamic world where the whole Quran is inscribed in golden letters on all four walls of the Roza. On our left is the Saifee Masjid which was built by His Holiness the late Syedna Taher. It is an architectural marvel.

And we got good timing because we started with the azaan. Abbas saab,you are a qualified engineer and you have done projects for big companies around the world. I believe you are going to build a whole range of towers here. This will become a completely different place,the only inner city development of its kind in India. That’s what gets people like us so excited. So tell us about what you are going to do.

Abbas Master: I’ve worked all over the world on very large projects,but this project is so complex and difficult and one of its kind being attempted not only in the city of Mumbai,but maybe all of India. And what makes it challenging is that we are working within the inner city where there are 250 buildings,3,200 families living there,and 1,250 businesses which are thriving. We have to work within this environment. We plan to bring down all these 250 dilapidated structures. MHADA (the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority) has classified almost 80 per cent of the buildings as dilapidated and dangerous to live in. So we plan to bring all these things down. Prior to that,we move people to transit accommodations that we have already constructed. And almost 1,200 families have moved from this area already.

What will this place look like after you are done in about 10 years?

Abbas Master: What it will look like is some of Bhendi Bazaar that exists today. You will see the flavour of it,the culture of it that we want to maintain. But at the same time,it will be a well-planned city where you have proper roads,you have a footpath to walk on,you have parking… So we will plan in such a way that we meet all the requirements of providing good residential conditions for people who live there. Currently they live in maybe100-200 sq ft. Each one of them will get 350 sq ft carpet area.

This is a glorified slum right now.

Abbas Master: Right now it is worse than a slum because the way people live,the condition of the buildings.

And that’s a real shame for a community that’s so entrepreneurial and generally quite prosperous.

Zainulbhai: That’s right. And,in fact,the project began when His Holiness said that the standard the people are living in is not appropriate for a community like us and,you know,‘How can they live correct lives unless they are at least comfortable?’. And so it was his vision to take up something which most people would have considered impossible to do. There are so many impossible things that the Bohris accomplish around the world under his divine guidance,in a sense,that we all took it as an act of faith that it is possible. When we described the original project,we said it is an ‘upliftment trust’. That it is not a development but an upliftment trust.

That’s very interesting because it is the first redevelopment programme that is not called redevelopment,or rehabilitation,it’s called upliftment.

Zainulbhai: We want to uplift the standard of living of everyone who lives here and everyone who works here,and to make the place which has one of the holier shrines among the Bohris to be something that is spectacular. Nobody is making money from it. It is a charitable trust but the idea is not just to give the minimum to people that is required under rehabilitation in Section 33 (9) (of the development control rules of Mumbai) but to give them more… When we started,someone said there are 15 impossible things about doing this,and they were right. I think today we have conquered 12 of these impossible things. If you have done 12 impossible things,maybe three (remaining) is not so bad.

So 80 per cent is done.

Zainulbhai: Well,whatever per cent you want… The reason it worked in this case is Syedna,everyone follows Syedna. If he says that he wants to do it,we will do it. The other communities who live in this area— it’s not just the Bohris — have all been very supportive.

Because you are not doing it just for the Bohris.

Bhanpurawala: Exactly. When Syedna conceived this project,when the first presentation was done,his primary and first question was,‘Tell me what will you do for the entire communities who are staying in Bhendi Bazaar,not only Bohris. Everybody should be treated equally. If you are giving a 350 sq ft house to a Bohri,you should give it to the Muslims also and whoever stays in this area’.

What you build will not be restricted to anybody,in terms of residency,tenancy. Anybody can come and live here… I know that one criticism will be that this is a ghetto. So it’s not going to be a gentrified ghetto.

Abbas Master: No,no. When we talk of upliftment,it’s not just the physical upliftment… Physical upliftment happens when spiritual upliftment comes along with it.

That’s why this project is so important,because if you can get this right… if you can transform this place,then you can transform anything in India. So this is something that sets the standard for inner city development in the rest of the country. I hope Abbas saab you know the weight of responsibility on your shoulders.

Abbas Master: Just to support what you are saying,this being the most critical aspect of planning,we got some of the best master planners around the world,and they walked the streets over here. And when we started,we had a competition and we selected one of the best master planners from India as well as one from abroad,and they both together are trying to do the best they can.

To walk these streets,you need some sort of hockey goalkeeper pads and crash helmets,because you are always dodging something or the other. I hope you make some part of this area fully pedestrianised.

Abbas Master: Yes. All our roads will be at least 50-metre wide and we plan to have certain sections of the road which are all pedestrian.

Zainulbhai: You know what we did,we didn’t just bring in master planners,we brought in people who are psychologists and sociologists and observers of streetlife. They came and spent a lot of time here and they observed what’s happening. And they said one of the most wonderful things about this place,forget the buildings,is the fact that everyone’s involved in the streetlife here. People from outside Bhendi Bazaar come here in the evenings and at nights,and a lot of Bohris from around the world come here,so we should keep that interactivity. We got all these sociologists,urban planners and others to model what they wanted and they spent a lot of time here to try and ensure that they could design something that not only fulfills all the other requirements but also keeps the character of the place.

So you will not sort of gentrify Bohri culture out of here.

Zainulbhai: Not at all. Today people hesitate to come here because there is no parking,there is no easy access. What will happen after development is that a significant amount of visitors will come and the businesses that are here currently will significantly prosper.

And I hope you will take care of the food…

Abbas Master: There is no question about (not doing so). We’ll not succeed without it.

Zainulbhai: You know,not only are the Bohris well-off but they like their food. And all over the world,Bohri food is well-known and we pay a lot of attention to it. So I am sure there will be a large number,more restaurants.

Mr Bhanpurawala,you have been secretary of this trust for very long now. How did this idea come about?

Bhanpurawala: Syedna has been visiting this place for last so many years. He must have visited hundreds of houses here,climbed staircases,he must have seen the pathetic condition that people are living in… So Syedna decided,and it is his vision,he decided to develop this area not as a developer but to uplift the entire community. Not only the Bohri community but all communities that are staying here.

And because it was Syedna saying this and because a majority of the people living here are his followers,everybody immediately believed that promise… It is a Rs 3,500-4,000 crore project,probably larger. Adil,tell us something about the complexities. You have to create a new city from the womb of a very old…

Zainulbhai: As I said,if it was empty space,it would be very easy. But there are 250 buildings that are owned by lots of people… There are lots of mosques and other things here,schools,municipal buildings,there are lots of dilapidated buildings whose ownership is unclear,many of them are old rental buildings. So first we had to actually figure out how to buy all of these in some shape or form. Then we had to convince each of the people who are there that we are going to move them,we will look after them and that we will give them something back when they come back.

And something better.

Zainulbhai: Something much better. I think all of that takes time. So that’s one problem. The second problem is,if you look at the 14 acres,the roads will change,because to make it work,we have to change the way the roads run. And all of that requires a lot of help from the government,a lot of help from the municipal corporation. We’ll have to rebuild all the underground facilities,we will rebuild all of the sewers,all of the water (supply),all of the electricity (supply). So what happens is,if you are trying to design all of that,you are doing so many things simultaneously,it requires lots of approvals,it requires a lot of people to come together. Nobody’s ever done anything of that magnitude before,and the good news is that a majority of the people are for it. We’ve got lot of support from the people who live here and from the owners and we’ve a lot of support from the government. The government also wants the city to be better and if this demonstration project can work,then this gives hope to a lot of other areas.

But,of course,when you are doing such a big project,there are a thousand laws that apply to you. So it’s not that people are not trying to be helpful,but you have to work through it.

Since you are a trust and not builders,its tough to just nonchalantly break the laws.

Zainulbhai: No,no we don’t break the law. We are doing everything 100 per cent right. It is,as you said,a charitable trust and the community itself is raising the money for doing it.

When do we see work starting now? I know that you’ve begun demolitions.

Bhanpurawala: Yes,Syedna has already done the foundation ceremony. And actually you can say the project work has started because in more than,I think,170 buildings,some certification has been done. Nearly 20 buildings have been demolished till the first floor and all the plans are in the final stages. We are hopeful that by the end of this year or maybe the first month of next year,we will start the construction.

Adil talked about the 12 impossibilities which have been overcome. Which are the three that remain?

Abbas Master: Some of the ones that remain are obviously some of them we don’t know yet,because they keep coming everyday. But the critical part is how to take care of all the people who are here.

Because a few have not embraced the idea yet?

Abbas Master: The commercial area has been a challenge.

So what happens to the shopkeepers?

Abbas Master: What we have done for transit for residence,the same way we are building a transit for commercial; very close,a kilometre from here. So we are providing them alternatives… The second thing is the government is very keen on helping,the example of which is MHADA — they put their entire force on this project to survey each and every tenant in terms of who are the legitimate tenants. Now what we need,where the government can help us is to make it all faster.

I believe Syedna’s vision was that the whole community should develop in a way,metaphorically,in a sort of shelter of the Roza,of the mazaar… The chairman of the trust was telling me about the teachings,principles of the Bohri faith and way of life. What is it that makes the community adjust so wonderfully wherever they go?

Bhanpurawala: Syedna always teaches,during his sermons he always says,one famous saying of Prophet Muhammad — that patriotism of your country is the faith of your religion. Wherever you go,wherever you stay,be loyal to your country but not compromise on your culture. So wherever you go in the world,you will find Dawoodi Bohras in their dress,their topi,enjoying good food… and,yes,doing good business.

I believe most of the women of the community have always been literate.

Zainulbhai: Girl child education is in the high nineties.

That is why I say that if there’s any community that can do it — this miracle of sorts — it’s the Bohris. So all of us depend on you. You get it right,we’ll try do something in Chandni Chowk… And if this works out,this will be true to Syedna’s vision of sort of metaphorically having all this come up — for want of a better word — in the chhatra-chaya of the mazaar.

Abbas Master: I’ll say not ‘if’ it comes up,but ‘will’ come up. And it will come up in the chhatra-chaya of the Roza.

And it doesn’t matter what community people come live in the chhatra-chaya.

Abbas Master: All the people who are living currently in the boundaries that we have for our redevelopment will all have the same facilities,same things.

Zainulbhai: It’s not just the people who are living here. This has interested not just people from around India but Bohris and people from around the world.

So how many towers will be there?

Abbas Master: We plan to have nine clusters. These clusters are going to have two towers each,overall around 17 towers… Some rising really high,maybe around 65 plus… Interest is also from all the architects,master planners around the world,they come and visit us,see how things are happening… It’s one of the most unique projects.

All the rest of us and in other big cities are watching you. Because once you get it right,this will set a standard and this will sort of raise the bar for inner city development all over India.

Abbas Master: Thank you very much. But it is really a partnership between the government,ourselves and the people who are living here. They really have to come together and they have come together to make it a success.

Transcribed by Pooja Sharma