Have you ever crossed Mumbai’s Vile Parle area in the local train? While most train journeys take us across localities with various kinds of odours–from the vile to the fragrant–crossing Vile Parle had always been a pleasure.
The aroma of India’s favourite cookie/biscuit, Parle G, being baked in a large factory very close to the station made a journey through Vile Parle a drool-worthy experience, to say the least. This, unfortunately, will no longer be the case.
The iconic Parle factory at Vile Parle closed its doors permanently this week, after functioning for 87 years.
Started in 1929, this was the first factory established by Parle Products Pvt. Ltd., the company that gives us those sweet biscuits full of energy-inducing glucose. In fact, the company borrowed its name from the area itself, so much so that the factory has become the landmark for Vile Parle over the decades.
According to a Mid-Day report, this factory had to shut down thanks to low productivity over the past few years. The owners halted the production a few weeks ago, and finally had to close its doors.
In recent years, we’ve seen many Mumbai landmarks bite the dust–Rhythm House, Samovar, and more recently, Mani’s Lunch Home. As the city moves faster and faster towards progress, these shops, restaurants and factories just don’t seem to belong in the urban fabric any longer.
(Sourced from agencies, Feature image courtesy:economictimes.indiatimes.com)
