How did the plague outbreak of 1896 change urban planning in Bombay?

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entrance to Mumbai Harbour — Mumbai Entrance to Mumbai Harbour, marked by the Gateway of India (right foreground).

In response to the 1896 plague outbreak, which highlighted the severe, unsanitary, and overcrowded conditions in Bombay, the city underwent significant urban planning reforms.

The government established the City Improvement Trust to address these systemic issues. The primary objectives of this body were to open new localities for settlement and to construct improved dwellings specifically for the artisan classes. These efforts marked a shift toward more structured urban development aimed at mitigating the public health risks that had become widespread as the city's population grew.1