Topic 3 - Mumbai Case Study

Question 1

Site

Answer 1

• Located on the West Coast
• Located next to an estuary and safe harbour
• Equatorial - Tropical climate

Question 2

Situation

Answer 2

• Well connected to the rest of the world with Mumbai’s international airport.
• Naturally deep harbour allowing container ships access.
• Well connected to the rest of India by roads and rails.

Question 3

Regional influence

Answer 3

Good railways connecting the outskirts of Mumbai to the centre.

Question 4

National influence

Answer 4

Good road and rail network connects Mumbai to the port and rest of the country.
• Large deep water port.

Question 5

Global importance

Answer 5

• Historically, Mumbai exported cotton.
• Strong economy
• Creative industries
• Mumbai generates more than 1/6 of India’s GDP.

Question 6

Connectivity

Answer 6

• Naturally deep harbour.
• Good access for container ships.
• Good location for trade with Europe as its on the west coast of India.
• Good air connections.

Question 7

CBD

Answer 7

Function:
• Not in the centre, on coast.
• Many company HQ’s.
• Shopping malls.
• Old factories regenerated fo expensive housing.
• Port

Building age:
• Oldest parts of Mumbai at southern tip.
• Regenerated apartments.
• Port still used.

Question 8

Inner-suburbs

Answer 8

Function:
• Much of this area is slum.

Building age:
• Buildings were built to house textile workers.

Question 9

Outer-suburbs

Answer 9

Function:
• Commuters use railways.
• Industry has developed along the train line.

Building age:
• Post 1970’s built along the railway line.

Question 10

Rural to urban fringe

Answer 10

Hard to find as Mumbai is so spread out. Conurbation. Rural areas only where land can’t be developed.

Question 11

Structure of Mumbai

Answer 11

• All shaped by the coastline before being forced to move inland.
• Rapid growth, influx of migrants, Mumbai had to expand back inland, away from the coast.
• Conditions were overcrowded and unsanitary.
• As a result, the new suburb of ‘New Mumbai’ was developed. New Mumbai then also expanded rapidly, relieving the pressure on Mumbai. Mostly home to middle classes.
• Land too high and steep to build on is a national park - it attracts nearly 2 million people/year. Locals refer to it as the ‘lungs of Mumbai’

Question 12

Reasons for past and present population growth?

Answer 12

• Natural increase: high birth rates.
• National migration: people move from rural areas to urban Mumbai, for employment.
• International migration: Migrants to work in finance and IT services.
• Economic investment: investment from foreign companies. Mumbai is India’s top location for FDI. Investment has been greatest in: services, manufacturing, construction, entertainment.
• Economic growth:
19th century - cotton
19th and 20th century - textiles
Late 20th century - decline of factorises
However, banking, globally important financial centre, many company HQ’s in Mumbai, quaternary industries, ‘bollywood’.

Question 13

Opportunities fro people living in the mega city?

Answer 13

• Access to resources
• Employment - manufacturing, engineering, media, IT industries, Informal sector employment: taxi drivers, hairdresser, waiter.
• Education
• Healthcare
• Higher wages
• Access to TV and other infrastructure.
• The government tries to attract businesses by offering ‘tax free’ opportunities.

Question 14

Challenges for people living in the mega city?

Answer 14

• Housing shortages and lack of affordable housing.
• Squatter and slum settlements.
• Inadequate water supply.
• Inadequate waste disposal.
• Poor employment conditions.
• Limited service provision.
• Traffic congestion.

Question 15

Differences between extreme poverty and extreme wealth in Mumbai?

Answer 15

• Mumbai has some of the world most expensive apartments.
• Some people are too poor to even rent a room.
• 40% of Mumbai’s population live in slums.
• 60% of the population work in the informal sector.
• Over half the population live in poor conditions without a decent water supply.

Question 16

Reasons to explain such differences?

Answer 16

• A lack of space has meant that people live in crowded and congested conditions.
• It is very hard to find and affordable, legal living space.
• Government slow to make improvements in deprived areas.
• Lack of incentive for landlords to improve housing.
• Lack of government control over rapid expansions.
• Lack of development regulations.
• Lack of decent services to poor areas.
• Tax collection is unregulated. Therefore, there is a lack of money to invest in Mumbai for everybody.

Question 17

Top down strategies

Answer 17

• Gorai Garbage Site Closure Project
• Mumbai Monorail

Question 18

Gorai Garbage Site Closure Project

Answer 18

Rapid growth caused poor waste disposal services. Dumped garbage caused toxic waste running into the creek (water and land pollution). Emitting methane.
Government put a plan in place to improve the site:
• Rubbish dump reshaped
• Covered in material to prevent leaching.
• Planted grass
• Methane-capture technology - generate power.

+ Improved the lives for local residents as it has rejuvenated the natural mangrove ecosystem.
+ Improved air quality.
+ Improved water quality.
+ Real estate prices increased.
+ Hotels opened.
+ Generates electricity cheaply for local residents.
- Expensive

For who? Local residents, local business owners, fishermen. Very successful at improving QOL.

Question 19

Mumbai Monorail

Answer 19

Traffic congestion and over congestion on the train lines. Overcrowding leads to deaths. Air pollution rising.
Government planned a monorail, takes passengers off roads and into monorail.

+ Reduces congestion, air pollution is reduced.
+ Improves transport links, therefore less cars on the road.
- Missed deadline (2011)
- Low number of passengers and is mainly tourists.
- It’s location is away from the main city.

Does it improve QOL? Yes reduces congestion on the train line (good for commuters and businesses).

Question 20

Bottom up strategies

Answer 20

• SPARC Community Toilets
• Hamara foundation

Question 21

SPARC Community Toilets

Answer 21

Improves slum settlements - no sewer system connecting houses. Over 500 people share a public toilet in Dharavi. 800 million tonnes of untreated sewage a day into water in Mumbai - water which is used for washing, cleaning, bathing.
Built new toilets, connected to main sewers and water supply, local community helped with constructions, families pay for monthly permit to use toilet blocks, electric lighting - safer at night, separate children’s toilets.

+ Able to work with the community to provide a solution. It starts to control the amount of sewage going into rivers.
+ More sustainable environmentally and socially as will reduce number of diseases spread.
- Still a long way to go to make sure that all residents of slums have access to toilets.

Does it improve QOL? For who? For poorest people living in Mumbai’s slums. Improves QOL for them as have access to clean toilets, with running water.

Question 22

Hamara foundation

Answer 22

Rapid population growth has meant that Mumbai’s expansion has been to fast for services to keep up with. Poorest Mumbaikers live on the streets as still cannot afford to live in slums. Over 200,000 children live on the street and have been forced to drop out of school.
Provides social-work services to homeless children, healthcare, education and skills - computer training, mechanics, hospitality.

+ Addresses the shortage of healthcare and education services.
+ More people can learn skills they need for higher paid jobs which means higher QOL.
+ Experts are helping children become educated.
- Only a very small number of children can be helped.

Does it improve QOL? For who? Yes, for the poorest children who have no home and education - but only a limited number of children can be helped.