How we landed in Vashi and my Wish to live/work in Mumbai fulfilled without leaving Home!

This was the Holi of 2008; a job- offer from Sify to join them at Mumbai as a Branch Manager waited on my desk. The big issue was how to re-settle ourselves -a small family of three- after several  years of partial settlement in Delhi. I had fondly heard this Hindi song from the Movie Kirayedaar  “Naukari mil jayegee, Chokari mil jayegee… Chat naa milegee aisi jiski deewaren ho chaar”. I was in a funny situation  like Amol Palekar in this song. The Joke was really up on me and I had to solve it or let go this job-offer!

My work involved a lot of time to be spent on internet as I was to set-up this eLearning portal and get orders from corporate to subscribe to learning on their own through web technologies. I did spend a couple of hours each day on the world wide web. I came across this advertisement of one of the property websites (which is now a big business with many players)…I think it was 99Acers or some such free information websites. It tempted me to search for my housing requirement online and I just did that and kept my Hopes alive.

Today when I see the lookup ads and housing website https://housing.com/lookup. it fills we up with hope and happiness that things will be brighter for our next generation. They will face no worries in finding a property in any part of the world. The image of Mumbai as pace where hosing is I short supply is already shattered thanks to the newly developing town-ships in New Bombay.

I found some 8-10 suitable options after struggle of 2-3 days to understand the map of Mumbai. Most of the ones in my budget were in Vashi – Navi Mumbai, I was told is an upcoming township not far from the area where I could find my clients. Sify’s office was far by any standards -in Santa Cruz near the Airport. I found out that it entailed change of trains at Kurla and then again at Mumbai Central. I rested my hope on the point that this would be clean area with big roads like what I am accustomed to in Noida. So I went ahead with the option of choosing to stay in Vashi.

We saw the pictures of the property that was on 1^st floor, called-up the landlord and settled out the rentals and other terms etc. there came another show-stopper.  In Mumbai most landlords insist on 11 month advance but my company’s terms for the lease to be in their name were -one month advance and a month of security. I hoped again that my landlord would agree and with some persuasion and blessings from the lord of all being he did. In a matter of few days, I had the agreement in my mailbox and instructions on where and how to get the flat’s key.

The Railway that connects Mumbai to Vashi. (Photo credit: CIDCO)

Soon we were on our way to Mumbai to land right in the time of the Ganpati pooja on the sixth day of the festival. This was the first time when I really saw the fervor of processions that go with the festivities of this season, We were awestruck as I was goods took 2 days to come after they reached Mumbai . We tasted the tangy flavor of Vada Paw at Vashi Station while the luggage took it’s sweet to arrive. Our wishes were fulfilled by Ekadant-the Lord of good beginnings but most of all it was the property website that helped us the most. My best wishes to this online property business…  “Chaat Bhi milegi aisi jiski Deeware ho Char” , happy searching until then.