There has been euphoria among the government circles recently to develop Mumbai as a world-class city before the 26/7 floods hit the city. The cities like Shanghai or Singapore were often cited as benchmarks for planning and development of Mumbai in the next decade. However, the dream has been shattered by the unprecedented flood of July 26. Lack of urban planning, unprecedented rains and the failure of the early warning system are some of the important factors for the tragedy. It is the time that Mumbai’s planning and developmental discourses can be unshackled from an illusion of Shanghai or Singapore.