Dharavi Slum
Jackamy
Paul & Derry Harper
Tue 15 Feb 2011 18:36
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Tuesday 15th
February
Slums are very much a part of
Mumbai city life and after much deliberation we thought it was right to pay a
visit to Dharavi Slum, Mumbai's biggest and one of Asia's biggest slums. An
astonishing 60% of Mumbai's population live in shantytowns and slums. Originally
inhabited by fisherfolk when the area was still creeks, swamps and islands, it
became attractive to migrant workers, from South Mumbai and beyond, when the
swamp began to fill in as a result of natural and artificial causes. It now
incorporates 1.75 sq km sandwiched between Mumbai's two major railway lines and
is home to more than 2 million people.
While it may look a bit shambles
from the outside, the maze of dusty alleys and sewer-lined streets of this
city-within-a-city are actually a collection of abutting settlements. Some parts
of Dharavi are mixed population, but in others, inhabitants from different parts
of India, and with different trades have set up homes and tiny factories.
Potters from Saurashtra live in one area, Muslim tanners in another, embroidery
workers from Uttar Pradesh work alongside metalsmiths, while other workers
recycle plastics as women dry pappadams in the searing sun. Some of these
thriving industries export their wares, and the annual turnover of business from
Dharavi is thought to top US$650 million.
Up close, life in the slums is
relatively normal. Residents pay rent, most houses have kitchens and
electricity, and building materials range from flimsy corrugated iron shacks to
permanent multi-storey concrete structures. Many families have been here for
generations, and some of the younger Dharavi residents even work in white collar
jobs. They often choose to stay, though, in the neighbourhood they grew
in.
Although I'm sure we saw
the better parts of the slum I was surprised at what I saw because I expected it
to be much worse and the smell wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. It is
however a shame for the houses that are deeper inside the slum because they
don't have the advantages of setting up businesses like the others on the edges.
I think we should learn from what the people are doing
here though, because, although they are only doing it because they have no other
means of earning money, they are recycling on a huge scale. It's
incredible!
 The pipelines featured in
slumdog
 Living at the pipelines in
amongst the rubbish
 Plastic stacked on top of the
roofs
  The busy trains take over from
the cows
 Walking through some of the
wider alleys........yes, it did get tighter and darker than this but pictures
just don't show it
 The main street lined with
businesses
 The meat shop
 Children happy to see
us
 A laundry and a general store
in one alleyway
 Sifting through the stagnant
water for plastic...........These guys then shred it and sell it on
On the way back to Colaba we
drove on the main road that runs along the train mainline. Peoples 'homes' were
along the roadside, and some would be lying in the central reservation where
they have 'fold-up' homes as our guide called it. They'd reside in the centre
during the day and move out on to the edges of the road during the night when
the traffic reduced. We began to wander what'd happen to all the people during
the monsoon season and it became clear that they aren't actually from Mumbai,
they only spend the summer months here as it is the busiest season, and they
make money selling flowers, herbs and anything they can think of, at the train
stations. Then when it starts to slow down and the rain sets in, they move back
to their homes.
 A barber shop at the
roadside
 Sifting through the garbage for
plastic and shoes..............Weaving with bamboo
 Families sleeping and eating on
the roads
 
 Another form of living,
'footpath living'
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