In a market district in the heart of Mumbai, dilapidated old buildings line the streets. Many have cramped, dark, dingy interiors with crumbling staircases. Some are precariously supported by bamboo poles. Giant rats scurry across the floors.
Such decayed surroundings ought to be deserted, but Bhendi Bazaar district, where the majority of the community is made up of Dawoodi Bohra Muslims, is bustling. The narrow century-old streets are lined with shops selling a range of wares from car parts to clothes. Homes that look as though they should have long ago been abandoned are filled with families of up to 10 people cramped into tiny living quarters.
But there are plans for this overcrowded mercantile settlement. A 30 billion rupee (Dh1.68bn) project to redevelop the 16.5-acre area is under way. The plan is to knock down all the buildings and rehouse the families and businesses in shiny, modern steel and glass skyscrapers.
The developer behind the ambitious project is a charitable organisation called the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (Sbut). It hopes that the project could serve as "a model for development" in Mumbai, a growing city of 20 million people where space for building is extremely scarce and land prices are sky-high. There are many poor quality buildings and districts, as well as slums, often located in prime property areas, across the overcrowded metropolis.
"Bhendi Bazaar unfortunately has been neglected for years," says Abdeali Bhanpurawala, the secretary of the trust. "There are a lot of problems."
Many of the buildings are at risk of collapse or outbreaks of fire because of old wiring, he explains. Out of the 250 buildings in the area, about four fifths are considered dilapidated and dangerous, he adds.
The trust hopes to secure all of the approvals by the end of this year and can start building work as soon as those come through, Mr Bhanpurawala says. "We plan to complete the project within a maximum of five years from the day we get all of our approvals."
The redevelopment is to rehouse 3,200 households and 1,250 businesses and provide the infrastructure the area needs. The tenants will become owners in the new development under the philanthropic initiative, while the remaining properties will be sold, according to the master plan.
Pre-construction work has already started and 17 buildings have been demolished and their residents moved to transit accommodation built by the trust.
Analysts say that such so-called "cluster" development projects, which involve the redevelopment of an entire area, are much needed in Mumbai.
"There are old developments in the city from decades back which are in dire need of repair or rehabilitation," says Gulam Zia, the executive director at Knight Frank India. "The viability of redeveloping these structures was very poor. When the government or the master planners decided to come up with this cluster development scheme in which the Far [floor area ratio] is improved to make such a development viable, that's exactly when the interest came in from various developers to redevelop these areas. Mumbai has limited amounts of real estate or land to develop."
The state government has taken steps to support such projects through a cluster development scheme and this year increased the floor space index for cluster projects to allow developers to build more homes on the land, improving the appeal for private developers further, according to Jones Lang LaSalle.
"The potential benefits of redevelopment in a city are many," says Anuj Puri, the chairman and country head of Jones Lang LaSalle India. "It not only reduces urban sprawl but also improves the economic competitiveness of city's prime precincts.
"In addition to this redevelopment there can be an economic engine that unlocks land parcels for development in prime precincts in the city which otherwise are in urban blight, characterised by dilapidated buildings and inadequate and deteriorated amenities and services," he says. "This helps in creating additional, better quality housing or other real estate and helps in boosting property values. Consequently, this creates more jobs and business opportunities while improving the overall urban fabric."
There are significant hurdles faced by redevelopment projects, as they have to get the existing residents and businesses on board.
"The biggest challenge for cluster developments is the identification of beneficiaries," says Mr Puri. "For instance, getting the majority of stakeholders on board is a major task. Also, it is a long and capital-intensive process. Redevelopment may involve relocating businesses and people. However, it must produce tangible economic benefits so that the trouble and expense of redevelopment is justified."
Indeed, there are some residents that are opposed to the redevelopment of Bhendi Bazaar.
Shiraz Kachwala, a 62-year-old shopkeeper, lives in one of the dilapidated buildings that has been acquired by Sbut.
"I don't want to leave," he says, adding that he does not care that the building appears to be unsafe. "My father was here since 1945."
The trust has acquired 85 per cent of the land that it needs for the development, but explains that there are some landholders it is struggling with.
"It's not that they don't want to give," says Mr Bhanpurawala. "They're asking some handsome money - they want to take advantage of the situation. Before they announced this project, the buildings were available for 15 to 20 lakhs [1.5 million to 2m rupees]. Now they're demanding 15 to 20 crore [150m to 200m rupees]. If the government is serious about developing the city, they must look into this. It's very difficult."
Other residents, however, are very happy to see the area redeveloped.
"It's not the ideal place to live in," says Nasir Kanchwala, a 51-year-old trader who lives in a 100-year-old building with his wife and daughter. "The area doesn't have any ventilated environments, no walking spaces." He says that getting ownership of a modern apartment and not having to pay rent is "the golden part of the story".
Fakhruddin Mithaiwala runs Fakhri Farsan Mart, a snack shop in Bhendi Bazaar. The shop has been in his family for 60 years, but he says he is pleased with the redevelopment plans.
"We're in the 21st century and everything is modernising," he says. "It's going to give us a great boom."
business@thenational.ae
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Scores
Rajasthan Royals 160-8 (20 ov)
Kolkata Knight Riders 163-3 (18.5 ov)
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Fixtures
Wednesday January 8 –Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 – Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 – UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Scoreline
Liverpool 3
Mane (7'), Salah (69'), Firmino (90')
Bournemouth 0
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
Stage 3 results
1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 4:42:33
2 Tadej Pocagar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:03
3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana 0:01:30
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
5 Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe
6 Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:56
General Classification after Stage 3:
1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 12:30:02
2 Tadej Pocagar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:07
3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana 0:01:35
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:40
5 Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe
6 Wilco Kelderman (NED) Team Sunweb) 0:02:06
DUBAI%20BLING%3A%20EPISODE%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENetflix%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKris%20Fade%2C%20Ebraheem%20Al%20Samadi%2C%20Zeina%20Khoury%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
IF YOU GO
The flights
FlyDubai flies direct from Dubai to Skopje in five hours from Dh1,314 return including taxes. Hourly buses from Skopje to Ohrid take three hours.
The tours
English-speaking guided tours of Ohrid town and the surrounding area are organised by Cultura 365; these cost €90 (Dh386) for a one-day trip including driver and guide and €100 a day (Dh429) for two people.
The hotels
Villa St Sofija in the old town of Ohrid, twin room from $54 (Dh198) a night.
St Naum Monastery, on the lake 30km south of Ohrid town, has updated its pilgrims' quarters into a modern 3-star hotel, with rooms overlooking the monastery courtyard and lake. Double room from $60 (Dh 220) a night.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%202-litre%20direct%20injection%20turbo%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%207-speed%20automatic%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20261hp%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20400Nm%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20From%20Dh134%2C999%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2017 Dodge Viper SRT
Price, base / as tested Dh460,000
Engine 8.4L V10
Transmission Six-speed manual
Power 645hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 813Nm @ 5,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 16.8L / 100km
Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
