Cities on Speed – Mumbai: Disconnected

The Eco Film on Friday, September 2nd will be Cities on Speed – Mumbai: Disconnected.

Genre: Documentary, Social Issues. English with Danish subtitles, 59 minutes. Directed by: Frederik Jacobi & Camilla Nielsson.

This is a four-part mini-series from Sundance. In the first episode “Mumbai: Disconnected”, the rate at which the city is growing has largely overwhelmed its existing transportation infrastructure is investigated. We see how commuters risk life and limb to ride overcrowded trains; streets and highways are scenes of constantly stopped traffic; and air and noise pollution are off the charts. Mr. Das is a vice president of the state road construction agency; it his job to make sure bridges and freeway overpasses are built on time and in accordance with environmental requirements imposed by the World Bank. But the construction of new roads raises issues of class and wealth, as epitomized by the conflicting viewpoints of Yasin Patel, one of the many émigrés seeking a better life for himself and his family in Mumbai; and Veena Singhal, a wealthy, educated Mumbaiker who advocates for long-term solutions over short-term fixes, and is leading the charge against a proposed freeway in her neighborhood.