Illustration 12. Location map for Mohone

Illustration 12. Location map for Mohone

12.3. NRC colony- the stranded city

Figure 68. Stranded NRC colony quarters.

The city of Mohone, around 60 kilometres north-east of Mumbai came into limelight when

a major chemical and rayon manufacturing company called National Rayon Corporation

(FOUNDER MR. RASHIKLAL CHINAI SHET NOW CALLED NRC Ltd) established their

Functional working unit. It is the one of the flag ship company of Duncan Goenka Group

manufacturing Viscose Filament Yarn, Nylon tyre cord Fabric and Chemicals such as

Caustic Soda, Sulphuric acid, Carbon-di-sulphide etc. The company provided living

facilities (apartments, hospital, club, school, shopping) to the employees thus forming the

NRC Colony. NRC Ltd, went on to become one of the top companies of India in the early

1970s. Such an establishment resulted in sudden population growth and an opportunity

for new businesses. NRC Limited was established in the year 1946 is the one of the flag

ship company of Duncan Goenka Group manufacturing Viscose Filament Yarn, Nylon tyre

cord Fabric and a few Chemicals. The plant was established in the town of Mohone along

the outskirts of Kalyan, Mumbai. The Company's plant is situated on freehold land of

about 450 acres and was developed with full infrastructure such as Railway-siding, Water

works, Staffs and Officers colony, School, Hospital, Shopping complex. In the 1970’s the company was regarded as one of the top textiles and chemical industry in Maharashtra

and it also enabled business in and around the city of Mohone. Mohone's economy was

largely depended on National Rayon Corporation.

In the year 2009 the plant faced a major lockout due to consecutive loses faced by the

company. By the year 2010 all departments were shut except the power plant that fed

water and electricity to the workers quarters. The Goenka group had almost finalised the

deal to sell the entire land to Mumbai-based relators Hiranandani. However, stiff

resistance from workers' union, which was backed by some political parties, saw the

buyers back out. There are still families residing in the staff and workers quarters that

refuse to leave the place unless their share of money is paid to them and a rehabilitation

is promised.

Another protest was done by the gram panchayats in Mohone village from whom

company has acquired the land 31 years ago. According to them they were promised an

employment for the local youth and selling off the land to a development company

abandons their community. As the company is in the state of despair it has become

Figure 69. Dilapidated NRC quarters

hazardous for the environment. Not only the plant but most of the residential complexes

social amenities spaces are facing the same abandonment and negligence.

Cultural events at the NRC ground

Figure 70. Celebration of annual festivities at the NRC grounds.

Despite the isolation of the colony, the large 2.5-acre NRC ground is still very functional

to host some of the annual religious and sports events. The most popular ones are the

Ayappa puja organized by the south Indian community residing in Mumbai. The extensive

puja is a three day long public event and sees a flock of devotees coming in and out for

darshan throughout the day. The event also sees a large fair indulging people in rides and

cultural events. There are fireworks, maha aarti and bhajans organized throughout these

three days. It is as if like the city almost comes back to life every year for these three days.

The ground being the only open space in that area it also hosts weddings and sports

tournaments.

The “thieves” of Ambivali

Figure 71. Women of the community- popularly known for shielding the men of the house when police raids are taken place.

In a small portion of the Ambivali lives a migrant community of Indian-Iranis. The

community has been categorized as nomads by the state government. The group of nearly

250 families, they are largely infamous for alleged crimes prevailing in Ambivali.

Geographically the migrants are from Baloch which is split between Pakistan and Iran

now. They came to India in around 1600’s. The Indian-Iranis have been moving all across

Mumbai and have lived in chawls of Vasind, Mulund, Dadar, mumbra, etc in the city of

Mumbai. The community has resided in Ambivali since more than 50 years now. According

to the community, Despite being in India for more than seven generations now, the

society has not accepted them as their own, and they are still deprived from the basic

needs of the citizens.

Their homes are frequently raided by police officers when a crime gets registered in the

area as they are the easy targets, also because of the bad reputation they have gained

since in the past some young members were involved in the chain snatching and pick

pocketing business. According to the community the police demands money and gold

from them in return to set them free, the kind of amount which they can’t possibly have.

Most of the older generations of this community are illiterate as they didn’t have required

documents and money to complete education. Due to this they never got proper jobs that

paid them enough for their family. Neither to get a permanent house. This might be the

reason that some portions of the community turned to stealing as their way of earning.

But not all of them are criminals. The community prefers to live in their close knitted circle,

they marry within the community and take up small impermanent jobs, and avoid

interactions with the outside world with a fear of being misunderstood by them.

Popularly known as the thieves of Ambivali, the Indian-Iranis have now made their way

through the neighbourhoods’ undesirable attitude. Today the kids from the community are sent to schools, and there is hope among the community that they will be accepted

by the society. Living in darkness for so long awaiting a validation doesn’t the community have an equal right for urban facilities and opportunities.

Figure 72. The chawls of Indian-Iranis