Chapter 3 THE SAGA OF THE REINCARNATED...

Chapter 3 THE SAGA OF THE REINCARNATED GURGAON: THE MILLENNIUM CITY AND ITS CITYSCAPE

3.1 The reincarnated or the Modern Avtaar of Gurgaon: the Millennium City of the country

3.2 The Millennium City: An Official Version

3.3 The Millennium City’s Cityscape

3.4 Conclusion

The Saga of the Reincarnated Gurgaon

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3.1 THE MODERN AVTAAR OF GURGAON : THE MILLENNIUM CITY

“The sleepy and dusty town of Gurgaon has grown inch by inch” remarked Vijay Kumar

Jain73. The New Avataar of Gurgaon has been from this sleepy and dusty town to the

Millennium City. The growth journey and dynamics of Gurgaon has shaped its present

modern avataar. Today the town has taken its modern avataar – as it stands as the living

embodiment of ongoing growth and development of the country at the international

platform - the ‘Millennium City’ of India. As soon as one enters ‘the Millennium City’

crossing through the toll on NH-8, the 8-lane high speed expressway gives the look and

feel of the city that is like any big world cities marked with presence of big, sky-high

glass residential buildings most of them shaped zig-zag, corporate offices with their neon

signboard forming the skyline, and the malls.

A peep into the Gurgaon’s preceding three decades shows the process of makeover of the

town into the Millennium City. The makeover of the city has taken place as the recent

decades have passed by leading to its new avatar. As one of the respondents Mr. Ahuja74

explained about this new makeover of the town,

“When I look back into time and think about the days I had spent in my grandparents’

home in Old Gurgaon (in 1980s at Jacombpura) I realise the magnitude of change that

has come over Gurgaon. In those days the pace was idyllic, now it is frenetic. The

villagers would walk or paddle kms through Imagesque green fields and would gather

round in for a smoke of the communal hookah and the women folk would cook in earthen

ovens fuelled by cow dung. Now the villagers use the passes issued by toll company to zip

across NH-8, their fields have been acquired, sold and the cycles have been replaced by

SUVs, the youth frequent the discos and cow dung as a fuel has been replaced by gas

cylinders. Similarly in the town also people would know each other by name and chat,

73 Vijay Kumar Jain born (in 1941) and brought up in Gurgaon, is a resident of sector 14 presently. He has

been residing in an old colony – Jacombpura and moved to sector 14 in the beginning of 1980s. 74 Mr. Ahuja is a resident of Old Gurgaon, who has been born and brought up in Old Gurgaon. He has

been residing in Arjun Nagar since birth and shifted to sector-4 extension in 1996.


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they would also know each and everything in detail about the families living in the

locality, the women folk use to share the kitchen needs, in case if something is missing.

But now all are running busy into their daily lives be it work and home or only home for

some. None has the time to chat or know and share with each other”.

A glance into its recent past that is in the last three decades, throughout 1980s en route to

Gurgaon from Delhi one could see every where cover of trees or farming being done and

then to the west of NH-8 there used to be a few cars on long flat bed truck (being loaded)

marking that it is the Maruti Suzuki Plant. The Maruti Plant used to be an indicator that

one is about to reach the town bus adda. There were only cycles, bullock carts, scooters,

tractors and, of course, pigs. The town had open drains, community water taps (although

the household connections have started by then), and a lot of dirty pigs roaming around

and sitting in the open drains. In the evenings the NH8 used to be completely dark and

experience a lot of truck involving accidents. In the later half of the 1990s this visible

landscape of approach to Gurgaon changed to a new NH-8 with no farmlands visible

anymore, rather a ‘ship building’ of DLF and huge but few high-rise towers. This one is

the first designer buildings bearing resemblance to ship shape as is shown in Image 3.1. It

Image 3.1 DLF’s pioneer designer building – Gateway Tower

DLF Gateway Tower, Gurgaon. Source: Fieldwork, 2010


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It has been used as an icon for representing image of Gurgaon in a number of newspaper

articles and tv shows. It has become the monument that represents the city, just like India

Gate for Delhi or Gateway of India for Mumbai. Now, one travels to Gurgaon on an 8-lane

high speed highway that is the entry point having multiple-entry Toll. The approach road to

Gurgaon that is the NH 8 has got completely transformed with bumper-to-bumper traffic, a

toll plaza at which the queues move at a snail’s pace, short tempers and enter a city of tall

buildings, the latest cars, pubs that are open till 3 am, office complexes that house 65,000

people, a metro in place and a private one being constructed, apartment buildings with tennis

courts, swimming pools.

The well-lit highway to the city leads to concrete jungle particularly to the right of the NH8.

The entire stretch is marked with presence of impressive, plush, high-rise swanky glass

buildings as seen in the Image 3.2. The Image shows various towers in the Cyber City located

to the right of NH 8 immediately after entering into the city. They house big corporate

offices. Their Neon name boards form the skyline of the city. Their very presence right at the

entry through Toll gives the feel of beginning of a new landscape like that of any big city.

Such all glass facade buildings are present in the other parts of the city also but largely

located to the right of NH 8 only. There is India’s first night Golf Course (by DLF), MNC

COOs, CEOs, series of malls, seven star living, gated communities in the form of plush

condominiums, the Kingdom of Dreams, Ice skating and ice hockey. All these add to the

charm and magic of the Millennium City as one of the newspaper articles75 in Hindustan

Times on opening of ice- skating rink in 2011 read “the aim is to both entertain and find

young talent – all adding to the glamour and attractive quotient of ‘the Millennium City’”.

Most people would address the city as any of the cities of the developed world while having a

glance of it from NH-8. But the questions that arise after looking at the Glam City - Gurgaon

are: Has the entire city experienced the similar change and developments or do they vary

within the Gurgaon City? Secondly, do these changes mean development to the people in the

city, and how do people relate to them? And is this city actually the Millennium City of India

or the label is just a misnomer? 75 Dua, Chetna, December 14, 2011. Delhi gets its own ice-skating rink.Hindustan Times, New Delhi.


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Image 3.2 The All Glass Façade Office buildings in Cyber City

a) Cyber City, Gurgaon (immediately after crossing b) Cyber City, Gurgaon (immediately after the Toll to the left of NH-8) crossing the Toll to the left of NH-8)

c) Cyber City, Gurgaon (immediately after crossing the Toll to the left of NH-8) Source: Field work, 2010


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Image 3.3 The All Glass Façade Office buildings in other parts of New Gurgaon

a) Golf Course Road, Gurgaon b) Golf Course Road, Gurgaon

Source: Field work, 2010

The following sections investigate and look into the transformation and development

experience of the entire city and the official perspective and the people’s perspective of

development in the city.

3.2 THE MILLENNIUM CITY: AN OFFICIAL VERSION

The Gurgaon’s official government website76 has put a new link to Modern Gurgaon.

This link presents the two cities within the city of Gurgaon. The website refers to the Old

Gurgaon and the New Gurgaon. The link from the Government website entitled ‘Modern

Gurgaon’ reads as given below in Figure 3.1.

Thus, the difference between the Old Spaces in the form of Old Gurgaon and New Spaces

76 www.gurgaon.gov.in/welcome.htm - the new version with the link to modern Gurgaon has been put post

2009 (earlier it was gurgaon.nic.in).


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in the New Gurgaon has been made more explicit by the Government recently. It says

“New Gurgaon is the Modern Gurgaon and Old Gurgaon has its own aspirations”. It

highlights the features such as high-rise residential towers, all-glass facade official

buildings, and series of shopping malls and thus, building a glitzy and modern image of

Gurgaon. But these features are confined and present in the New Gurgaon (that lies only

to the left of NH-8) only and they are conspicuous by their absence in the Old Gurgaon.

Thus, government discusses (except a single line about Old Gurgaon) about the part of

the city to the left of NH 8 that is the New Gurgaon without mentioning this division. It

presents the image of Gurgaon based on the New Gurgaon itself. In 2007 when I as a

researcher started looking into the story of Millennium City though the different spaces

Figure 3.1 Official Image of Gurgaon

MODERN GURGAON

New Gurgaon is the modern part of Gurgaon. It has modern facilities and a planned

infrastructure. Old Gurgaon, on the other hand, has its own aspirations. Gurgaon is riding

high on residential, commercial and retail developments these days. Due to public-private

sector partnership model in real estate development that has been the major force behind

Gurgaon emerging as the corporate capital. It has developed more because of more

connectivity options to the capital. The fact remains that most of the people living there still

frequent Delhi regularly for work. The growth prospect, increasing employment

opportunities and a cleaner environment has propelled the growth forwards. Gurgaon with

its location on NH8 closer to international airport, offering world-class new commercial

development, office destination, coporate hub, BPO companies, IT companies etc.

It is Gurgaon that has initiated organized retail boom in Delhi and NCR in the form of malls.

Gurgaon boasts of over half a dozen operational malls like MGF Metropolitan Mall, MGF

Plaza, Sahara Mall, DLF Mega Malls, Gold Souk.

Source: www.gurgaon.gov.in/welcome.htm


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did exist but there was no clue of the same at the Government’s website that is

www.gurgaon.nic.in but within these few years it is now changed and updated to

www.gurgaon.gov.in/welcome.htm and have a link to Gurgaon and “Modern Gurgaon”

(as shown in Image 3.4). The Old website read and seemed more desi that is indigenous

as it read in Hindi “Guru Dron Ki Pavitra Dharti – Gurgaon’ but the new website is more

global in its approach as it reads all in English.

Image 3.4 Old website of Gurgaon District vs. New website of Gurgaon District

a) Old website of Gurgaon District Source: www.gurgaon.gov.in/

b) New

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The government website clearly presents the two different spaces though juxtaposed yet

are in contrast to each other. The New Gurgaon is being referred to as ‘modern’ and thus,

the face of the ‘Millennium City’. Though the contrast between the two spaces: the New

Gurgaon and the Old Gurgaon have been only indicated in one line but the images in the

government website says more than a thousand words.

Image 3.5 Images of Gurgaon on the Government website

Image 3.5 a) Modern Gurgaon: High Profile Residential Addresses

High Rise Condominiums: Essel Towers and Beverly Park-I and II, located on MG Road in New Gurgaon

and Gurgaon One in Old Gurgaon; Source: www.gurgaon.gov.in/welcome.htm


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Image 3.5 present the image of Gurgaon as a plush and modern city, but these are of the

residences, malls and official spaces from the New Gurgaon spaces only. The Images

include that of high-rise condominiums named Essel Towers and Beverly Park-I and II,

located on MG Road; malls such as Sahara Mall, DLF City Centre and office complex.

All of these are located in New Gurgaon. The New Gurgaon images shown on the

government website and absence of any image from the Old Gurgaon bring out the

contrast between the two spaces and makes it all the more vivid. But the two spaces

Image 3.5 b) Modern Gurgaon: Mushrooming Malls

Malls: Sahara Mall, DLF City Centre on MG Road and Gold Souk, Office Complex in CyberCity, New

Gurgaon. Source: www.gurgaon.gov.in/welcome.htm

are not uniform either; they have within them the small island like spaces formed by

various villages. The surrounding villages have been acquired with the areal growth and

spatial transformation of the town into the ‘Millennium City’. Though these villages

have become urban villages and form a part of city, yet they have their own triats, people

and a different identity. Thus, Gurgaon City has three divided cities. On the one hand, to

the Government itself distinguishes between the New spaces in the city and the Old


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spaces, on the other there is another third space being formed and constituted by the

Urban Villages. The three divided spaces that form many cities within Gurgaon needs to

be looked into as to how they have got formed and what each one of them have. To

understand the three spaces, the following section explores them through a case study

from each of the three divided spaces.

3.3 THE MILLENNIUM CITY’S CITYSCAPE

The cityscape of the town of Gurgaon has changed in the process of growth and

development. And definitely these changes in the cityscape can be largely correlated to

the actors involved in the process such as the government, private developers and the

residents themselves with different backgrounds and different incomes, lifestyles and

aspirations. With the growth and development brought by these actors, the Millennium

city’s spaces have got changed into the cityscape marked with three different spaces

within the city: Old Gurgaon, New Gurgaon and Urban Villages. Each of the three spaces

has different set of actors or agents of development co-related to them.

Beall and Sean, 2008 has remarked “the practice of development refers to conscious

interventions designed to enhance the quality of people’s life in some way”. The first question

that comes up is that who makes these conscious interventions or development is practiced

by whom or as in the words of Beall and Sean, “Who ‘does’ development? Development

actors may include individuals, communities, government, bilateral agencies such as USAID,

etc.” These associated actors who practice development bring the consequent changes.

Likewise, each of the divided spaces in Gurgaon has the actors who have shaped and are

associated with the respective space and the case studies look into the same.

Originally the town of Gurgaon was confined to the old pockets of town near the Gurgaon

Village and bus adda. This constituted the core town. It was surrounded by a number of

villages such as Sukhrali, Dunadahera, Mulahera, Sikandar Pur, Chakarpur, Nathupur,

Wazirabad, Jharsa, etc. The approach road from Delhi was the old NH-8. But with the

coming of Private Developers in 1980s, the 1990s has seen coming up of the new NH-8

(closely passing by their projects). Initially, the projects of pioneer developers such as Ansals


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and DLF came up closer to the core town, but perhaps the paucity of space led them to go

further away from the town and to the west of the New NH 8. All the following projects thus,

came closer to the New NH 8. Consequently, the east of New NH 8 forms a different world

and has been referred to as ‘the Old Gurgaon’ (largely most of it came by the end of 1970s)

whereas to the west of NH 8 came up a series of projects by Private Developers (most of it

came since 1980s onwards) and is called as ‘New Gurgaon’. And the villages that stood

surrounding Gurgaon town have become the part and parcel of the Millennium City and

constitute ‘Urban Villages’. The three spaces not only vary in terms of the agencies or actors

behind them, their characteristics, their look and feel, the facilities and the lives they offer and

lastly, the population they cater to. The following three sub-sections explore into the three

different worlds and lives in the three spaces within the city.

3.2.1 The Cityscape of New Gurgaon or the Modern Gurgaon: A Case Study of Garden Estate

Gurgaon has become a dream city for people driving through the NH 8 having a glance of

swanky, zig-zag, all-glass multi-floored impressive structures. These are present to the left of

NH-8. Right from their look to their internal atmosphere to their names they carry an all-in-

all western touch and feel. For instance be it their eye-catching impressive look or be it their

internal completely soothing environment created by its ambience and temperatures

maintained according to the season. Not only that the names like Infinity Tower, Signature

Tower, etc. for the official complexes and Beverly Park, Belvedere Park, Lebenraum,

Aralias, Magnolias, Garden Estate, Princeton towers, Nirvana Country, Vatika City, Nile

Complex, Vipul’s Belmonte sound more global and like western world cities but also in

various other ways. All these have been crafted by the private developers like DLF, Ansals

and Unitech, that came into play in 1980s. The moment one enters one of these office

complexes or the condos, one gets transferred to a different world where everything is taken

care of privately, largely by the private developers, be it the household supply of water and

electricity, or security, or the common gardens, and also the roads within the complex and

cleanliness. The following case study of Garden Estate gives a view of the features being

offered and the lives of the people in the spaces of New Gurgaon.


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Garden Estate – a mini New York in Gurgaon: the addresses here read as ‘Manhanttan

Greens or MGs’ and ‘Terraced Greens or TGs’, these are the villas and apartments,

respectively. Right at the entry point of this gated community (as can be seen in Image

3.6) , the entry is strictly limited and identity is thoroughly checked. The CCTV cameras

are put up to maintain footage of each entry and exit. The well-dressed guards speak to

you politely in English. They remember each and every car that belongs to the residents

in the complex, so as to ensure a smooth entry for them.

Image 3.6 Entry to the Gated Community: Garden Estate

Garden Estate, MG Road, New Gurgaon. Source: Field work, 2010

The entry as seen in Image 3.7 is marked by presence of clear cut signage showing only

one-way movement of the traffic and beautifully well-landscaped and horticulture corner

small gardens and plant arrangements according to the season. For instance, one would

be welcomed by beautiful flowering plants in the spring season immediately after taking

a compulsory left following the entry into the complex. The community complex in the

centre of the condos offer everyday services required such as a small chemist, a grocery

shop not too big yet the with trolleys in place to help you to choose between self-service

like westernized departmental store or you can simply ask the boys, and a parlor for both

males and females. There is a community centre also along with indoor squash courts,


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table tennis play area, a swimming pool as well a gym. Right next to it is the beautiful

garden with well-trimmed grass maintained all throughout the year.

Image 3.7 A Glance into the Garden Estate Living: Beautifully horticultured entry to Facility Centre and clear signage giving instructions

Garden Estate, MG Road, New Gurgaon Source: Field work, 2010

Further inwards in the complex is the sand-bedded (to guard them against any kind of

hurt) separate play area for small kids with variety of swings and a lawn and tennis court

also. During the evenings, the beautiful garden is only marked with presence of small

children with their maids; it’s hard to find a parent accompanying their kids. One of the

respondents from the complex told the reason behind the same on a rather being open

front “the lifestyle is such (whether it is the case of both the parents being working or one

of the parents not working – the complex is secure and the service of helps is available

with such small family sizes, so this comes as handy lifestyle)”. It is only while walking

through the complex that one could observe a global dress code being followed by all

without being specified. The dress code is and has to be global. The dress code can be

easily decoded while taking a walk as the residents comes across only during the morning


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walks or late evening walks and rest of the day one would encounter only their helping

staff such as maids and servants and drivers. The dress code for the morning or late

evening walks is the t-shirts and the shorts with branded shoes or the track suit. On one of

the winter evenings I saw a 20-25 year old boy who was dressed for his evening walk at 5

p.m. in his red without-sleeves t-shirt, red shorts, red ear phones, red glasses and

matching shoes, giving his style statement on one of those cold days when I was walking

through the complex wearing a pair of jeans and woolen jacket. This highlights the

people’s lifestyle statement about which the residents seem to be very particular and

needs to be highly global or rather western particularly.

Besides that one could see the high-end and expensive exotic dog breeds more than people

within the complex. One of the houses also read at the entry “Golden Retrievers on Duty”

written on an oval-shaped brass plate. The dressing and the pets constitute the lifestyle

statement. Moreover, the assured availability of all the basic amenities of the residents in

everyday life is taken care of by the Private Developer on payment basis. These amenities

include 24×7 water supply, all time 100% power backup, maintenance of common areas and

garden, cleaning of society complex, availability of service men such as plumber and

electrician, multi-level security arrangements, availability of gym, indoor play area and

swimming pool form the self-reliant life style or in the words of DLF ‘walk to leisure culture’

as all is available within the complex. These constitute an important part of the resident’s

lifestyle of these condominium gated-communities. Thus, the private developers have

provided this leisure culture within the complex and work also at a relatively close distance

from their residence77. This walk to leisure culture caters to the professionals residing here.

Most of the residents have small family sizes and most of them are in the young age group

with both the partners working. Some elderly couples also reside in such complexes, who for

most of their lives have been at high designations and now are largely living on their own. In

either category of residents in terms of age group, people either do not have time or they do

77 www.dlf.in/dlf/DLF-Chairman/chairmans_profile_link3.htm This has been done as a part of strategy as

remarked by the DLF’s K.P.Singh, DLF Chairman that they wanted to give people compelling reasons to move to Gurgaon like they brought in ‘walk to work and walk to leisure culture’ within the township.


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not have strength so they want security and facilities available to them at their disposal, even

if they are charged for. With these kind of lives of the residents with hectic daily routine and

higher income brackets, all is taken care of by the maintenance department within the

complex, assuring a restful left time.

This world as described above is largely limited to the left of NH 8 and the difference is

visible as one visit to the left and right of NH 8 to both sides of Gurgaon city.

3.2.2 The Cityscape of the Old Gurgaon: A Case Study of Madan Puri

In total contrast to the space of New Gurgaon is ‘truly more than desi and small-town like

feel and flavour’ in the core town of Gurgaon. The Old Gurgaon has a mix of Old

Colonies such as Jacombpura, Arjun Nagar, Bhim Nagar, 4-marla, 8-marla, etc. on the

one hand and on the other hand, there are sectors present such as sector 4,7 and 14.

Within these two set of different localities in Old Gurgaon, there are certain differences as

the sectors were cut later on by the HUDA. The Old localities are typically marked with

the presence of narrow roads, drainage problems etc. But both share certain

commonalities such as the entry and exit is not gated, even if the gates have been put that

too are only in some sectors, and they are only for name sake, the gardens or gardening

corners are also absent. There are also stray animals moving along with the people in the

lanes of the colony. During the summer evening, a small group of women chit-chatting

and simultaneously cutting some vegetables or on a winter afternoon enjoying the

sunshine can also be seen. Madan Puri, a colony in Old Gurgaon has been taken into

account to explain about the spaces in Old Gurgaon.

Madan Puri, an old locality of Old Gurgaon: Madan Puri is an old colony of Gurgaon

that was formed during the beginning of 1970s when Gurgaon started expanding. It was

similar to already present colonies of Gurgaon with narrow lanes and closely spaced

houses. The people here constitute of those who had been living in the town that is the

native population and the migrant population living on rent.

This colony is highly congested and has narrow lanes marked with Gali numbers as the


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addresses. There are no gates or entry or exit points. Infact, in some of the galis it is

difficult for a car to make a place for itself. In Madan Puri also, today though both the

partners might be working yet they don’t feel the need of security as they largely they

live in a bigger family set up. The presence of the other family members and due to

neighbourhood cohesiveness the security arrangements become meaningless to them.

Image 3.8 Old Gurgaon: Housing and the Streets

c) Bylanes of MadanPuri, an Old colony of New Gurgaon .

Source: Field work, 2010

Moreover, they don’t feel the need of spending so much on the basic amenities as they

can avail of some of them as per their requirement at a much lesser cost. The old

construction of houses after which the roads have been laid later are slightly below the

a) Closely spaced houses, MadanPuri, Old Gurgaon

b) An Old house in Madan Puri, Old Gurgaon.


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ground surface (a more commonly visible scene in Jyoti Park colony) as can be seen in

Image 3.8. This Image shows the narrow entrance of the house between two houses and

an Old constructed house (in front of which road has been laid during recent years). But

there is a mix of old constructed houses as well newly constructed houses, with most of

them having features offered by the Private Developers such as marble flooring and

modular kitchens. Yet their exterior and the placement is such that they are too close to

the juxtaposed house, reflecting the kind of closeness and level of interaction people

share with their neighbours.

People would be dressed here as per their convenience and likes and dislikes rather than

following any strict dress code. So, the residents are dressed in Indian as well as the western

outfits. But one does not seem to be bothered with dressing as living style statement.

Unlike New Gurgaon where people are neither interested nor requiring to interact with

each other, it is entirely different here. Rather than the aloof culture of New Gurgaon, the

people here interact with each other and are also available at their back and call. The

neighbourhood is relatively closely knit. There is warmth in the people of the colony, for

instance, during my field survey one of the old-aged respondent offered me help in

finding respondents as all their friends were going to have a get together in the evening

on that same day. The main reason is that largely here the original inhabitants reside and

thus, they identify with each other and share a bond and understanding amongst each

other. The migrant population also reside here, but most of them belong to moderate

income bracket and thus, to them the economics of the place suit. It is because of the

reason that from rent to other household expenses are limited here as the rents are

relatively lesser and the maintenance charges are non-existent here. So, they also become

an integral part of the old space.

So, the spaces in Old Gurgaon present a mix whereby old colonies in particular are

marked by narrow lanes, poorly maintained roads and presence of stray animals. The

houses present a mix of both old and new constructions, with the addresses being truly

indigenous and the dressing is a mix of Indian and global. The interaction with


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neighbours is also present. The basic amenities are provided by the government and there

is individual level backup for instance for water supply people have borewells at family

level and for electricity shortage they have the inverters or gensets. Moreover, people

don’t feel the need of spending on the basic amenities. Therefore, the Old Gurgaon has a

culture of living which is in contrast to the culture of the New Gurgaon (where it is pay

and get). The urban Villages constitute yet another lifestyle statement.

3.2.3 The Cityscape of the Urban Villages: A Case Study of Ghatta Village

The Urban Villages form yet another divided city that has a culture of its own. The

villages have apparently become very much a part of the city in the process of the city’s

growth, yet continue to maintain their unique traits as the urban villages of Gurgaon. In

the villages till 4 to 5 years back the address used to be constituted of only the name of

the person, caste and name of the village. It has been only recent that the houses have

been given the numbers (only post 2008 after the formation of the Municipal Corporation

of Gurgaon). As one of the respondents mentioned if you are ordering something for

home delivery then it will be only the nearest landmark and the mobile number and the

delivery is made till that landmark only.

The lands of the villages have been acquired in the process of the growth and

development (as a part of the Development in Master Plans prepared for Gurgaon) of the

city. The agricultural lands have been transformed into built-up area. Thus, it is the

villages whose landscapes have got changed drastically not only physically but also

socially and culturally. The native population of the villages used to be only either Yadavs

or Gujjars with low caste groups existing in the periphery of the villages. But this native

population has decreased in proportion with lot of migrant population moving in from

different states of the country. Thus, the villages have a mix of the native population and

the migrants who have moved into the city in search of jobs. So, now the villages have a

mix of Yadav or Gujjars alongwith a population from other Indian states. Alongwith the

acquisition of agricultural lands, there is a parallel occupational structure change in the

villages. Earlier main occupation of the people that used to be either agriculture or cattle


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rearing can nowhere be seen now. They have now shifted to being landlords of sets of

rooms given on rent to the migrants, property dealers, owners of autos that run across the

city, gym owners, contractors of construction equipments such as levellers, diggers, etc.

Certain traits that continue to exist for these urban villages are the narrow lanes, and

sewerage problem. Rather these have become worse with the villages becoming urban

villages as the population has increased many folds with low income class migrants from

different states residing here at relatively lower cost rooms. One could see a series of rooms

accommodating families one after another like bogies of a train as shown in Image 3.9.

Image 3.9 Urban Village: Series of rooms given on rent appear like train boggies

Ghatta Village, Golf Course Extension Road. Source: Field work, 2010

These urban villages today have a mix of latest constructions and some old constructions

but in terms of roads, lanes and open spaces they are totally missing upon. The roads

inside the villages are rather not there and the narrow lanes are poorly constructed with

overflowing open drains in certain places. But inspite of all this there is presence of all

kinds of SUVs being parked inside the villages, owned largely by the native residents. It

indicates the presence of money to the native villagers. Moreover, there is a sense of


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community living as one can see particularly old men folk sitting together and a hookah

being shared, which is a common scene.

Ghatta (means losses) to Amirpur (means rich) Village, a case study of village

landscape transformaton: With the villages (surrounding Gurgaon) becoming Urban

Villages of Gurgaon, Ghatta Village has also experienced a huge change. ‘Ghatta Village’

has become ‘Amirpur’, that means a village in which most of the people were rather poor

and used to run in losses i.e., Ghatta (means etymologically to be in loss) has become

‘amir’ that is ‘rich’. Land acquisition has given rise to a new class of the people who have

gained lot of money and are newly rich that is ‘nouveau rich’. On the one hand, some of

the native inhabitants who are using and spending the money so as to have future source

of income for themselves and on the other hand, who have really got spoilt due to being

Image 3.10 Urban Village: Home to expensive SUVs

1

Ghatta Village, Golf Course Extension Road. Source: Field Work, 2010.

so rich all of a sudden. They don’t know what to do and how to spend so much money.

The money in hand have brought change in terms of living style drastically like their


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houses are now getting reconstructed with Italian marble flooring, full power backup

facility with individual high-capacity generators.

As one of the residents mentioned “yaahan to itna paisa aaya hain Gurgaon ki

development ke saath, pehle to hum bidi peete thay, phir cigratte pea aye aur ab toh pipe

smoke karte hain, aur woh dekho wo dol raha hain badak scorpio liye hue” pointing

towards a 16-year old boy in the village who has got his car. The statement itself

expresses the ease at which a SUV car is freely available to an under-aged boy and

indicates towards the money available to the people. One can see SUVs such as Pajero,

Scorpio and other cars like Swift, Honda City parked in their houses and in the by lanes

Image 3.11 SUVs and other cars seen in the by lanes of Ghatta Village

Ghatta Village, Golf Course Extension Road. Source: Field work, 2010

of the village as visible in Image 3.10 and 3.11. The growth of the city has changed the

identity of the villages themselves, with examples like ‘Ghatta’ becoming ‘Ameerpur’

along with a change in the means of the livelihood of people and the population

constitution. On one hand, the acquisition of land has brought money to the village

people and on the other, it has brought about a complete shift in their occupational


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structure. From occupations such as cattle rearing and farming they have moved to being

gym owners, property dealers, landlords, lenders of construction equipment like levellers,

mixers and crushers. Ghatta village now has a mix of Gujjar population residing with lot

of migrants such as from Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Thus, the space of the village

has got completely changed with the growth of the Gurgaon and more population

residing here. So, in spite of all the money available to the people and people becoming

‘nouveau rich’ with their land acquisition, they largely continue to live in the same

surroundings with government being responsible for it.

The three divided cities in the Millennium City have their own unique traits. The New

Gurgaon branded as Modern Gurgaon by the Government has young working couples

residing largely. Their preference with their hectic lifestyles is largely the ‘Gated

Communities’ to maintain security and least interference in their lives. The assured

supply of all the basic amenities is provided by the Developers that is on chargeable basis

within the complex ensures a smooth life. Their lifestyle is also global be it their dressing

or festival celebration. The Old Gurgaon unlike the New Gurgaon is more ‘desi’ or

indigenious. The level of interaction is high amongst the people and the residents don’t

feel the need of ‘pay and get’ for basic amenities assured availability. They rather prefer

other alternatives. And the Urban Villages have seen the most drastic change with the

villages becoming urban in their character. The land of the villagers has been acquired.

Consequently, it has generated money for them and change in the occupation. The money

availability has also brought with it a higher level of amenities available at the individual

level to some of them. Thus, the three divided cities though are part of the Millennium

city yet exhibit contrasts in terms of the people living there and their housing, the lifestyle

that they have, their aspirations and their mindsets.

3.2.4 The Contrasts and Contradictions of the Cityscapes within the Millennium City

The three divided cities though are part of the Millennium city yet have immense

contrasts and contradictions. These contrasts and contradictions are not an isolated

phenomenon as they are not confined to only the residential enclaves for instance, in the


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gated communities of New Gurgaon, Older colonies of Old Gurgaon and the Urban

Villages. Rather it is a widespread phenomon visible all over the landscape of Gurgaon.

The following visuals give an insight into the contrasts among the three divided cities

within the Millennium City.

The entry points to the two divided cities present a contrasting view as shown in Image

3.12. It signifies the contrast visible right at the outset entry point to the city. The first

part of the Image highlights the entry to Old Gurgaon marked with roads having traffic

congestion almost throughout the day with its narrow entry in contrast to the broad multi-

lane roads marking the entry to New Gurgaon. The Old Gurgaon has traffic moving at a

snail’s pace with a narrow and congested entry. The entry New Gurgaon has a multi-lane

entry with an eight-lane road thus, ensuring swift and hi-speed traffic movement.

Image 3.12 A Glimpse of Gurgaon – The two Cities in One (The Old Gurgaon and Modern Gurgaon)

Entry Point to Old Gurgaon, near bus adda, Old Gurgaon and Entry Point to New Gurgaon after crossing Toll near Ambience Mall, New Gurgaon. Source: Field work, 2010.


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Image 3.13 The Old and Narrow Constructions: the Residential Spaces of the of the Urban Villages and Old Gurgaon

a) The broken, filthy lanes of Nathupur Village b) The narrow streets of Jyoti Park, Old Gurgaon

Image 3.14 The Plush Condominiums: the Residential Spaces of New Gurgaon

Belvedere Park, Near Cyber City, New Gurgaon. Source: Field work, 2010.


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The contrasts in the nature of entry roads extends to the by lanes and housing in the three

divided cities of Gurgaon. The difference is visible in the constructions of the residences

in the three cities of Gurgaon. The contrast in the urban personality of the Old Gurgaon

and the New Gurgaon becomes more vivid with a glance at their lanes and housing with

respect to the neighbourhood and heights of the buildings (as shown in Image 3.13 and

3.14). On the one hand are the houses with narrow lanes in the Old localities of Old

Gurgaon and the Villages and on the other hand, there are high-rise, multi-level secured

condominiums. Some of the houses in the Old Gurgaon are such that they are placed in

the narrow gap between the two houses, where one would find it difficult to enter if two

persons have to go together. The Old Gurgaon seems to be having urban personality like

any small town with narrow and congested lanes, housing structures that stand closely

stuck with each other and vendors roaming around in the tight and narrow streets.

Image 3.15 The Gated Grand Entrance to one of the premium plush Condominiums, Aralias

Entry to DLF Golf Course home of plush condominiums, Aralias, at Golf Course Road, New Gurgaon. Source: Field work.


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While the New Gurgaon present and represent a Modern City. It is marked with the

presence of high-rise apartments that are gated and more contemporary, particularly

western in their look and names, for instance, various DLF properties such as Aralias,

Magnolias, Princeton Estate, Ridgewood Estate, Carlton Estate, Pinnacle, Vipul’s

Belmonte, Omaxe Nile and Unitech’s South City. These have given a more global touch

to the New Gurgaon’s urban personality. The gated grand entrance to these

condominiums further add to their grandeur as can be seen in Image 3.15 of DLF Golf

Links that nest Aralias, one of the premium condominiums in Gurgaon.

These contrasts continue to be visible in the market places of the three divided spaces of

the city. The market spaces of the Old Gurgaon and the Urban Villages have a series of

small shops, fixed vendors and a complicated market place with closely spaced shops and

their name boards. While in contrast to this is the nature of market space in New Gurgaon

which covers a market like Pink Town House which might be similar to the one in Old

Gurgaon, but is definitely more arranged and spic and span. The more common version

of market in New Gurgaon is rather more grand and has a splendour quotient attached to

it (as can be seen in Image 3.16 and 3.17).

Image 3.16 The Small Scale and Cluttered Market Spaces of the Urban Villages and Old Gurgaon

Market Space in Dundahera Village and Market Space in Old Gurgaon near bus adda. Source: Fieldwork, 2010.


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Image 3.17 Grand and Impressive Market Spaces of New Gurgaon

a) DLF Galleria Market, New Gurgaon

b) The market space made by DLF in the form of the first mall in DLF Ph. I and the later constructed mall such as Mega Mall, New Gurgaon. The First Mall of Gurgaon named as ‘The Shopping Mall’ to the newer and the latest version of malls like the one in the lower right hand-side Image called as ‘The Mega Mall’

Source: Fieldwork, 2010.


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Image 3.18 A advertisement of the range of menu being offered at Modern Bazaar in New Gurgaon

Source: www.justdial.com/

The shops in these malls are also elaborate and have huge range of products. For instance

the Modern Bazaar in this Mall of DLF has a huge variety of products to that caters to the

need of expatriates too. This is visible in Image 3.18 showing the advertisement of its

product range given on internet. It reads “Get the choicest and best of marinated meat,

cold cuts, fresh chicken and sea food, cheese, chocolate and bakery products, as well as

international groceries from Italy, Mexico, Thailand, China and U.K. and yummylicious

ice creams”. So, the market spaces, just like housing and lanes and entry roads of the

three divided cities stand in contrast.

A Glance into the Millennium City: ‘Two cities in one’-probably that explains Gurgaon

like a hidden fact and there is another space found within these two spaces yet different

from them is the space of urban villages. Interestingly though Gurgaon is spread to both


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right (Old Gurgaon) and left of NH 8 (New Gurgaon), but most residents find them to be

two cities apart. The three divided cities in Gurgaon have a distinct urban personality,

where Old Gurgaon stands synonymous to a small town feel, the New Gurgaon stands as

the brand ambassador of Modern city and the Urban Villages can be described as islands

of crowded and dismal surroundings (but not necessarily of poverty).

Each of these spatial islands has had their varying experience of the growth and

developments in the city. The development means differently to different people at different

spaces in the city. As Beall and Fox, 2009 has also put it “the word development takes on

different meanings depending on context”. Thus, the differential understanding of the

residents about the meaning of development is largely co-related to their experience of it.

Thus, the spatial variations in the experience of development need to be explored.

3.4 CONCLUSION

In the journey of its growth, the dusty and sleepy class III town of Gurgaon has turned

into ‘the Millennium City of the country’. The city has experienced both the demographic

and areal dynamics at fast pace recently. Both demographic and areal spurt has occurred

simultaneously. This dynamics has led to change of cityscape and birth of three spaces

within the city. The two cities within the Millennium City are the Old Gurgaon and New

Gurgaon that stand on either side of the NH 8. The two cities have another space that

geographically is a part of the both yet has different traits and has an identity of its own –

the Urban Villages. The Millennium City’s experience of growth and development has

have been unique as that varies across these 3 spaces within the city.

The Old Gurgaon constitutes the core town and is being managed by the Municipal

Corporation of Gurgaon since 2008 (and till 2008 it was under Municipal Council and the

sectors were under HUDA for their initial phase post-construction). It has a truly desi small

town like feel attached to it with narrow lanes, congested roads, houses stuck to each other

like compartments of a train. In total contrast to it is the space of New Gurgaon, with plush

buildings, swanky official and commercial offices where all is managed by the creators of

these small pockets of self-sufficiency that is the private developers. Right from security at


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the entry to water, power and maintenance of common areas – all is done by the private

developers at a charge, giving birth to these islands of beauty and richness. Presently, the

New Gurgaon is under the Municipal Corporation since 2008 for the areas outside the

complex and inside their mini worlds it is the private developers. Prior to 2008 it was under

none administrative body (as HUDA is responsible for only the initial part of cutting the

sectors and deciding their various land uses) and the inside of their mini beautiful islands was

managed by the private developers giving them a comfortable life in lieu of the maintenance

charge. Most importantly, there is resentment amongst people post coming up of MCG as

now they are required to pay tax to the government for which they will get poor services only

whereas private developers have assured relatively hassle free services. And lastly, is the

space of urban villages where one finds a mix of both the spaces. There are people who have

money and then there are people earning barely their livelihood. These villages have also

come under the MCG since 2008 and were under their respective Panchayats till different

points of time like till 2002, or 2003 etc. and in the gap time period there was no authority or

administrative body. But even now they are largely unsatisfied as most of them feel that the

MCG is not doing much for them. Thus, the three spaces have had their own experience of

growth and developments.

Beall and Fox, 2009 have pointed out that the development leads to change. In their words,

“The very word ‘development ‘implies change, and indeed those interested in

development such as scholars, professionals or general public are generally

concerned with understanding how and why communities change and societies

change in particular ways, and how change can be consciously catalysed or directed

to serve certain goals”.

Thus, the following chapters investigate and explore the developments and the tangible

and intangible aspects of changes and their variation from one space in the city to

another. Thus, the following units look into the answer to the questions as to what is the

nature of change and development through the landscape of the city? What have been the

resultant transformed spaces in the city? Are those landscape changes also different in the

spaces that have come up in the process of growth of the city?

Chapter 3 THE SAGA OF THE REINCARNATED...

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