1937 TOI Railway Ad Calls Andheri ‘The Countryside’

There was a time, long ago, when Mumbai was a collection of seven islands under Portuguese rule, well before it grew into the commercial capital of India. The suburbs were far off and overrun with trees, wildlife and semi-rural, agricultural lands and the over-developed suburbs like Andheri and Bandra weren’t even a part of the landscape of the city, which has changed a lot over the years. Very rarely do citizens of the city get a glimpse into Bombay of the 19th century and we’ve come across a piece of history that helps you travel back in time and experience the city in a whole new light.

An advertisement published by Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway (B.B. and C.I.) in the Times of India in 1937 invites people from the ‘countryside’ between Bandra and Andheri to experience the rich social and cultural ‘city’ life that Bombay had to offer. The advertisement offers a subsidised rate on tickets for travelers along the western and central lines, pricing it at 7 Annas for a one-way trip and 14 Annas return. A nostalgic walk down memory lane, it’s fascinating to see how far the cityscape, not to forget the inflation of prices that has come since. Don’t believe us? Scroll down to see a beautiful piece of Mumbai’s history.