This article argues that Haussmann’s transformation of 19th-century Paris was driven by speculative strategies — both political and financial — to reshape the city for elite interests under the guise of modernization. The piece frames Haussmann’s Paris as a blueprint for today’s neoliberal urban projects, like the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP), highlighting how large-scale urban

This article draws parallels between the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) in Mumbai and Haussmann’s 19th-century transformation of Paris, arguing that both are examples of neoliberal urbanism—where large-scale city projects are driven by investment interests and state power, often at the expense of the local urban fabric. Both projects use narratives of modernization, hygiene, and public order