Mumbai - Issues and Challenges in a LEDC

Question 1

Commercial capital of India, global financial centre

Answer 1

One third of tax revenue and 40% of foreign trade of India generated in Mumbai

Question 2

Textile mills now closed

Answer 2

Modern city with modern industries and services - IT, financial, media, scientific research, Bollywood

Question 3

India - considerable economic development last 20 years (BRICS);

Answer 3

…but economic development uneven and especially rural areas unaffected by prosperity

Question 4

Better lifestyle - income, access to education/health, better infrastructure…

Answer 4

…large number of rural migrants into city

Question 5

High rate of natural increase in population and migration…

Answer 5

..doubling of Mumbai’s population 1991-2013

Question 6

Migrants arrive in Mumbai - inadequate housing, services and employment…

Answer 6

…Mumbai limited building space (surrounded on 3 sides by water - rapid increase in crowded, informal settlements.

Question 7

Informal settlement dwellers account for over 40% of Mumbai’s population (9 million), living in 2000 settlements…

Answer 7

…in just 6% of the land area of the city, leading to very high population densities

Question 8

Largest and best-known slum is

Answer 8

Dharavi

Question 9

Dharavi, close to centre of Mumbai began as a small settlement under British rule…now close to commercial centre…

Answer 9

…land that was undesirable is now highly valued so Dharavi under threat.

Question 10

No official figure for population of Dharavi…

Answer 10

but thought to be about 1 million

Question 11

Within Dharavi, service provision extremely limited and population still growing

Answer 11

Considerable overcrowding eg 12 people living in 8 sq metres; rooms used for many purposes
Some housing built on unsafe areas such as hillsides or marshy areas
Roofs of houses often use asbestos
Electricity supply does not conform to safety standards - fire risk
Inadequate sanitation - public latrines (167 serve 3000 people
Only 14% of people piped water
Floods during monsoon season
Mosquitoes, rats - malaria, cholera, typhoid

Question 12

Life expectancy in Dharavi is _____ and child mortality is ________ the rate as for Mumbai

Answer 12

50 (India 67)
twice
No hospitals in Dharavi

Question 13

Dharavi - less than half of children attend primary school…

Answer 13

…and only one-third complete 10 years of schooling. Literacy levels are 60% - 14% below national average.
Mobile schools have been provide by NGOs although drop-out rate is high as children seen as labour/income source.

Question 14

Economic activities limited in settlements -

Answer 14

.. in Dharavi, vibrant informal sector - leather goods, pottery, sewing cotton, recycling. Over 5000 businesses in 15000 single room premises.

Question 15

Recycling a major industry in Dharavi

Answer 15

… child labour - dangerous, often hospital and chemical waste. Waste often recycled, giving off toxic fumes

Question 16

Dharavi has been successful in exporting manufactured goods, generating millions of dollars…

Answer 16

…but unevenly distributed and over 40% of residents below poverty line

Question 17

Significant number find employment outside Dharavi…

Answer 17

…Men - drivers, labourers, guards.

Women - cleaners, shop workers, carrying building materials

Question 18

There have been attempts to deal with informal settlements in Mumbai -

Answer 18

eg compulsory clearance but this leads to displaced people simply building houses elsewhere.
provision of basic sanitation/cheap housing seen as a more positive approach but demand far outstrips supply

Question 19

Currently, major plans for Dharavi as built on valuable site close to centre but often plans are controversial…

Answer 19

…conflict of interest between builders/developers who would prefer to resettle most of the residents in high-rise on part of site; and those who wish to contain control of all of Dharavi but with improved living conditions and amenities.