(Dis)Colouring Mumbai

We always blame the BMC and other various state departments for not doing enough for Mumbai. Especially, when it comes to beautification or the upkeep of landmarks. However, have we realised how hypocritical we are and looked upon the fact on how we do nothing to make their work easier, or how to make our city look cleaner.
Just a few days back the BMC took the initiative of adding a touch of colour to the Tulsi Pipe road. Many citizens and The Wall Project (a group of graffiti artists) came together to paint the walls of that long stretch of road from Mahim to Lower Parel, which, otherwise bore a very depressing and filthy look. No sooner was the work completed that the wall was very uncouthly and haphazardly covered with film posters. One fails to understand why a film producer who has spent so much money on making his film cant spend a little more and use hoardings for publicity instead. Also, how can he promote his art by actually ruining someone else’s. These are the same people belonging to our elite upper crust section of society whose views our sought after concerning any issue dealing with our city. I wonder after this damage caused what Mr. Amitabh Bachchan who blogs of everything in the world from Indians in Australia to how his house gets flooded during the monsoons say about this, as it is his film posters that have been very shamelessly pasted on the wall.
Our politicians aren’t too far behind. Come elections or any important event it they do not even wink an eyelid before placing a banner wherever they feel like. Just a few days back, at Chembur, at the circle of the Shivaji Statue, instead of being surrounded by a garden the statue seemed to be surrounded by banners instead. There wasn’t a single candidate from an independent one to one belonging to a party who did not have his banner put up. In fact most of the major roads in the city end up looking like a printing factory looking at the number of banners put up. It high time they realise these ugly banners which cover landmarks, signboards and signals do not quite appeal to the eye.
Its not only this one issue which has brought about this thought but in general we Mumbaites find it extremely difficult to maintain something new. We can take our local trains for example. The minute we got new trains it did not take very long till the interiors were spattered with spit stains, walls covered with notices and advertisements, and the floor adorned with different forms of garbage ranging from paper to food products. Honestly is it that difficult for us to keep things clean or is it that we love being called a city of slums. Hence, we just love to be surrounded with filth wherever we go.
Just by making a few residential areas look pretty and by putting up “Clean Mumbai” banners this city won’t stay clean. We as citizens need to be the change we won’t to see by maybe questioning our morality or taking heed of our actions irrespective of which class we belong to.