Garodia Nagar –is one of the earliest of private colonies the suburbs of Ghatkopar East. The very expanding population pushed the land sharks / BMC / Local government to land fill shallow, marshy salt pans that were there. Like most private developers the Garodia’s the grandfather Garodia had brought nearly 1000acres about 60 years ago for measly sum. Even in the recently published reports of the biggest land owners the Garodia still have 400 acres of land not yet developed.
Anyway way back in 1970 when this area was developed it was very quite, and extremely dangerous as not many buildings were made in this colony, one could see the trains at the Ghatkopar station from the now Nathpai Nagar colony, you could hear the sounds of the train passing by in quite surroundings which was then without much traffic or constructed area.
Some of the early settlers here were the very low income individuals who either shifted from the Mhada built housing board rooms of Vikhroli, Tagore Nagar, Kanamwar Nagar, Kurla, Sion, Sewri, or down town who couldn’t afford the rents / cost of owning a house in the town area, Colaba, VT, Byculla, and Jacob Circle.
So each paisa collected painstakingly they made their home which then for a 600 sq ft Carpet this is notably more important as it was always carpet area, that at a grand sum of then Rs 12000/- yes twelve thousand. So you see that princely amount was very big for someone who earned 300 Rs per month salary. But then most of the south Indian community made their home here coming from the streets of Matunga, Sion.
Slowly developing into a big private colony did not take much time as the entire colony leaving apart the recently developed area of Shanti Park, or the what we used to call as the driving school road.
The colony had problems with the Garodia selling to the developers the piece of land but not providing the amenities for roads, drainage, street lighting and cleaning and maintenance, This issue took lots of lots of the hard earned money of the salaried families which had to bear the burnt of the BMC’s rule of Private colonies paying 20% for the maintenance, yet not providing any service. So till the 1980 or later also there was no proper roads mostly red mud , and very badly tarred road which was only on the main sides that is from Police chowky to right from Sati kripa shopping to Mamata Nursing clinic and again right of now Oriental Bank.
The 90 feet road area was then a swamp, and only a very narrow path made of mud was there and below the Tata Power line were big water ponds collected from rain and would stay that way for year long. The path from Police chowky to now Kailash Plaza signal was also narrow and at the signal where it is put was a single lane with 7/8 temp huts / sheds which housed a flower and sugarcane juicewala still remember the old man and his old crab shaped legs lady who would be giving out the juice, later on his crooked teeth son took over and had also put a flower shop, next to it was a dhobhiwala the old gentle mannered guy who was also curtious, a cycle shop , tirewala and all . Just behind it was a Desi Daru ka adda (Hooch Shop) later on the now shops of Shriji Photo , Bombay Bar was sheds, Thambi the cycle shop guy (It is now run by his son , but not the cycle any more the ones we would hire for 25 paisa and hour), some egg man selling Burji, Such a long time the memories coming as I write.
Well the entire Kailash plaza was a kahdi (swamp ) dirty all the time only during the summer, boys would play cricket from the Pant nagar housing colonies along the Vallabaug lane.
The lane from that sugarcane juicewala shop to now Ratna stores was very narrow and at the now turn right of UTI bank and Ratna store was a huge grand old bungalow very old and rickety it was so narrow that 4 men could not pass together. Still remember going to the station that route and coming home with folks was always scary at night with not much light.
Have to look into my folk’s photo album if we have any of the pic from that area.
So its 40 years on and the colony and surrounding have changed , not sure for good or …
Its brighter , bigger roads but chalk a block with vehicle, a fit man has a difficult time crossing the road at the turn for Garodia nagar Chowk. Development all around – Shanti, Sudha park, road from Pushpa Vihar hotel (PV as we used to call it) to the eastern express highway, from PV to Pestom sagar, the bridge made above the sewage nallah made it easier for people to go to Pestom sagar, the narrow Reti Bunder road, from there coming out close to the signal near Meghraj hotel (now a junk ) , from Nathpai Nagar the road from Vidya bhavan school to coming out at the now Coffee CafĂ© day joint. The huge 90 feet road, the temple built by Bhajan Samaj next to Garodia Palace
So it grew and grew , the BMC now finally agreeing to admit and maintain it as BMC roads , street lights, but still the old gutters now only covered with concrete slabs so as to make the BMC life easier of not cleaning and also making it much more difficult for the ALM’s to clean it. The Lions garden Park which is developed into a beautiful garden, and walking area, oh this is so nostalgic the ground was our life for the better part of our life from early days till the garden was developed. This I will write a separate blog as it has so much to write about and am sure lot of you who might have googled to this page about Ghatkopar or Garodia nagar will like to read and comment. Please do I need more info to write.
The area is now mostly filled new occupants with the grand old passing away, their children and for some their children’s children have made this their home, many left to cheaper bigger areas of Mulund, Bhandup, Thane, or even far flung place, some moved on , children many of them gone to United States, Australia, Canada, Dubai, New Zealand, and some to bigger and more lavish colonies with their growing fortunes to Hirandani and some even having their own Bungalows in this city.
Well like any other place, time, each have their own story and so from small beginning there is so much to write about of this area which still is home for many who might be reading this. Each having their era or time gone memories for this 40 year colony. Cherish as much you could and do send me comments to know what was your experience your memories. And if you would like to send me pictures of which you might want to share.
Garodia Nagar Ghatkopar Mumbai Garodia School K J Somaiya College Odeon
