Mumbai (3/3)
Asia's largest Slum: Dharavi
Asia's biggest slum, Dharavi is home and workplace for more than half a million people. Originally it was located on the outskirts, but the rapid growth of the mega city Mumbai has subsumed it with its nearly 2 km². Today Dharavi is located directly next to the financial district Bandra Kurla in best city centre location.
The one- to two-storey houses are used as residential and industrial buildings by tanners, pottery makers, waste collectors and recycling companies. This small-scale industry has an important economic function for Mumbai (the majority of the savoury biscuits in Mumbai are produced in Dharavi), for the whole of India and even internationally. Dharavi contributes about one billion dollars annually to Mumbai's economy (Claaßen 2008, Petersen 2007, UN-HABITAT 2001).
Photo: Petersen 2007
But, the good location of the slums arouses greediness, since areas in the inner city are expensive in India's financial hub. A governmental plan involves the entire demolition of Dharavi. Seven-storeyed apartment buildings are intended to replace the old cottages, to create new living space for 57,000 families, about half of the inhabitants of the slum. The architect and official government advisor Mukesh Mehta points out that 80% of the slum dwellers would support his 2 billion Rupies plan, as he believes it is a "win-win situation for everybody". "The developer earns money, the city does not have to pay, the inhabitants of the slum receive improved apartments."
Despite the mandatory sanitation of the slum, the inhabitants have demonstrated against the plans. They were not included in the project planning and feel ignored. Craftsmen of the slum in particular are critical of the project. They may lose some living space as this will be restricted to 20 m² per family and see their future career at risk (Claaßen 2008, Petersen 2007).
Table: Living conditions of squatters in Mumbai
| Dharavi Nr. 561 "G" Core Area | Asalpha Kurla Western Suburb | |||
| 1981 | 1991 | 1981 | 1991 | |
| Population | 1 095 135 | 1 144 621 | 798 571 | 1 165 571 |
| Area (km²) | 0.037 | 0.037 | 0.014 | 0.014 |
| Population density | 40 520 | 42 351 | 11 680 | 16 318 |
| Toilets | 0 | 172 | 0 | 648 |
| Habitants/ Toilet | - | 246 | - | 25 |
| Water supply | 130 | 199 | 0 | 127 |
| Habitants/ Water supply | 312 | 213 | - | 128 |
| Electricity supply | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Cottages of enduring building materials (2000) | n/a | Each 7. | n/a | Each 9. |
| No. people per dwelling (2000) | n/a | 6 | n/a | 7 |
Links related to the mega city Mumbai
- Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai
- Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority
- Ministry of Urban Development
- Ministry of Statistics And Programme Implementation
- The Times of India (English newspaper from Mumbai)
- Outlook India (English magazine)
- India Today (English magazine)
Tasks: 1. Describe the living conditions in the slums of Mumbai with the help of the text (p19 & p20) and the chart.
2. Evaluate the governmental plan for the "sanitation" of Dharavi against the background of the population and economic situation in the slums.
3. Use the above-mentioned links from various authorities and magazines and find out which measures are planned by the city council to regulate the housing issue in Mumbai.
