Mumbai Diary: Wednesday Dossier

Pic/Kirti Surve Parade

Little Steps, big goals

A range of emotions are on display as this group of aspiring footballers readies for practice at Shivaji Park in Dadar

Is Mumbai prepared?

(From left) The group debates points during the walk; a student measures the gap between the footpath and the road beside a blocked manhole

As the city finds its way past the overflowing streets after the first showers of this year's monsoon, the Walking Project, an urban mobility initiative, has shared observations from a pre-monsoon walk that lends some insight into one of the many issues. "We had conducted this walk as a collaboration with the Blue Ribbon Movement on May 25. Since they were a youth initiative, we looked at the walk as an opportunity to keep things interactive," says Vedant Mhatre of the Walking Project. As a result, the group sauntered through Dadar West measuring the height, depth and quality of footpaths and pedestrian spaces in the neighbourhood. "While just about 60 per cent of the footpaths were of the required height of 15 cm [from the road, as mandated by national design guidelines], many others were broken or encroached on," Mhatre added. As for the rains, he pointed out, "The height of the footpath does not affect walkability in the rains as much as clear storm water drainage systems along the road. Hopefully, the authorities will work on it this year." As for the observations, Akash Upase, lead civic engagement for the Blue Ribbon Movement said, "As an initiative, our intention is to encourage the youth in the city to take ownership. We hope to use the learnings to help them raise these issues with their local authorities and hopefully, find solutions."

The good, the bad and the starry

Ranbir Kapoor with daughter, Raha

Bandra seems to be a place where stars descend from the sky, and are seen mingling with residents just like average Mumbaikars. One such celebrity - Ranbir Kapoor - is in the good books of Pali Hill residents as he pets dogs, and chit-chats with the mommy-kiddo brigade out and about in the evenings. This is during his daily visits to his under-construction house, where he, daughter Raha in tow, is winning over people with his easy manner.

The other - Farhan Akhtar (below) - has left gym-goers at Carter Road's Otters Club miffed, as he has reportedly been behaving snooty and entitled. A source told this diarist that many are now shifting their gym time slots so as not to be around when the director-actor comes to work out. Perhaps Akhtar might do well to sign up for charm classes with Mr Congeniality Kapoor?

Arzaan's sculptures sound like rainfall

Khambatta (left) pours seeds into the rain stick with his daughter Tianna

While he often works on installations and sculptures, artist Arzan Khambatta decided to use sound as a birthday gift for his daughter. "My daughter, Tianna, has been hosting sound healing workshops, and introduced me to the concept of a rain stick from Chile. It is a hollowed-out bamboo with thorns arranged inside. When pebbles are dropped in, it imitates the sound of the falling rain," Khambatta shared. For her birthday, he decided to create a larger instrument. "I couldn't find a large enough bamboo shoot, and had to turn to a five feet PVC pipe as an alternative. It has spirals and sticks within, and can create the sound of falling raindrops with just peas. It also created the perfect precursor to the Mumbai monsoon," he laughed.

German dancer grooves to Zingaat

(From left) Mohit Kajarekar, Noel Robinson and Sandesh Agate

On his visit to Mumbai, German dancer Noel Robinson has given his followers several viral videos of him dancing with locals across the city and even the popular dancing cop, Amol Kamble. When content creators Sandesh Agate and Mohit Kajarekar of @becausewhynot spotted him, they decided to approach him. "He was exhausted from a recent event; his eyes had turned red. And although he didn't step down from the bike he was riding on, we still got him to do the hook steps to Zingaat," Agate told this diarist.