Transit Tales: PRISM Reports from Mumbai

"In Mumbai’s Urban Peripheries, a Shared Autorickshaw System Is Redefining First- and Last-Mile Connectivity"

A Post-Exhibition Report By Alex Mohan Kandathil, Aneerudha Paul, Shreya Baoni, Kshitija Akre and Darsheet Vora

On May 10 - 17, the Mumbai Living Lab hosted the "Transit Tales" exhibition at Kamalnayan Bajaj Hall & Art Gallery in Mumbai, inviting the public to engage with the Lab's research on the city's autorickshaw system. Through paintings, maps, architectural drawings, rap music and short documentaries, the exhibition explored the shared autorickshaw system and challenged perceptions of its role in the city’s mobility landscape.

The Mumbai Living Lab, supported by the Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centers (SPARC), is located in the peripheral suburb of Nalasopara. The area — one of the most impoverished and densely populated in the Mumbai Metropolitan region — attracts migrant populations due to its relatively affordable housing, existing immigrant networks and proximity to Mumbai’s urban core. Through its research, Mumbai Living Lab is using Nalasopara as a lens to understand similar systems across other peripheral regions. By documenting how these networks function and the communities they serve, the Lab aims to build the case for greater recognition, integration and support.

Read more about the Mumbai Living Lab's research and the Transit Tales exhibition on the World Resources Institute's TheCityFix blog: https://thecityfix.com/blog/in-mumbais-urban-peripheries-a-shared-autorickshaw-system-is-redefining-first-and-last-mile-connectivity/