Mumbai Megacities Flashcards
Factors that have affected the variation in quality of life within Mumbai?
Geography
Natural populations increase and migration
Mumbai’s geographical situation
Naturally deep harbour - accessible to large modern container ships
Located on west coast facing towards important regional markets in Middle East and international markets in Europe through Suez Canal
Docks handle 25% of all India’s international trade
Very well connected to rest of India through country’s extensive road and railways networks - ease of travel to and from Mumbai
Suburban railways carry over 2.5 billion people each year
How has industrial history affected Mumbai?
19th century - imported cotton from India and a railways was built from the cotton growing areas of Mumbai’s port
Develop textiles factories in Mumbai and very important to growth - led to huge number of migration to work in the factories
Demand fell and thus led to industrial decline of textiles but industrial and commercial activities then started to book - world’s most important financial centres as globalisation connected economies together around the world ; TNCs moved HQs to Mumbai (engineering, IT - geriatric and quaternary sectors grew as well as entertainment Bollywood industry) - cultural significance
Site problems due to RUM?
Population grew very rapidly therefore could only expand up its long narrow peninsula creating very overcrowded insanitary and unsafe conditions for its inhabitants
1970 - proposal to develop a new suburb on mainland called Navi Mumbai leading to rapid population increase there
Environmental factors
Sanjay Gandhi National park is the “lungs of Mumbai” and helps reduce air pollution in this highly congested mega city - park is home to tigers
Development of City centre
CBD located at southern tip and many TNC headquarters such as Walt Disney and Microsoft India
Old textiles mills have been redeveloped and housing next to CBD is very expensive (with retail developments)
Port area is economically active (slum housing)
Inner suburbs
Characterised by squatter and slum settlements such as Dharavi - developed to house workers in old textiles mill
Outer suburbs
Industrial sectors have also developed along railway lines - allow commuters ease of travel into Mumbai
New Mumbai originally placed in a low density suburb where lower land prices would create better quality of life - grew rapidly, industries relocated due to cheaper land, more space for expansion and because of the availability of workers with the skills they needed
Urban rural fringe
Vast conurbation - merged into a single urban area ; population of 2a million
Rural areas found in river estuary and marshland - unable to build on it (flood frequently) and hills to North of Mumbai
Mumbai population growth
After 1970 most growth not in old island centre but in suburbs
Reasons for Mumbai population growth?
Rates of natural increase
National and international migration
Boom of Mumbai’s population has been mostly fuelled by RUM
In conurbation - half natural/half migration
Old city - natural and counter urbanisation occurring
Suburban - 3/4 migration and only 1/4 natural increase
What is population density of Mumbai?
20692 people/km2 - highest in the world
Impact of high density
Living spaces become very congested and expensive - move to areas where it is cheaper to live in (suburbanisation) and suburbs develop out of inner city along railway lines and major roads
FEATURE OF MEGACITIES - slum squatter settlements close to expensive housing (where people can work)
Push factors from rural areas to Mumbai
1) Difficult rural conditions making it harder to make a living from farming - population increase has also meant lower farming wages
2) Few services in rural India and education and health care is often basic (few leisure or entertainment facilities)
3) New farming techniques in India mean fewer jobs in farming
Pull factors to Mumbai
1) Rapid economic growth has created a huge range of jobs - tertiary to primary sector
2) Education opportunities are much better in Mumbai and larger range of health care options and lots to see and do
3) Wages in Mumbai are much higher than in countryside