INDEX

abstract
1.introduction
2.socio-economic conditions
3.urban challenges in dharavi
4.initiatives and interventions
5.case study:dharavi’s transformation
6.impact and lessons learned
7. conclusion
"Transformation of a Slum: A
Research and Case Study of
Dharavi, Mumbai"

Abstract:

This research paper explores the transformation of Dharavi, one of

Asia's largest slums, located in Mumbai, India. The study delves into the
socio-economic conditions, urban challenges, and initiatives
implemented to enhance the living conditions of the residents. The case
study provides insights into the strategies employed to address the
issues faced by slum dwellers and highlights the positive outcomes
achieved through development programs and community-driven
initiatives.

1. Introduction

Dharavi is an expansive slum

situated in the heart of Mumbai,
accommodating a significant
population in a small area. Dharavi
is dickens and horatio alger and
upton sinclair. It is ingrained in the
indian imagination, depicted in
books or bollywood movies as well
as in the oscar winning hit ‘slumdod
millionaire’. Dharavi has been examined ina harvard business school
case study and dissected by urban planners from europe to japan. Yet
merely trying to define dharavi is contested. “Maybe too anyone who has
not seen dharavi, dharavi is a slum, a huge slum.” said gautam
chatterjee, the principle secretary overseeing the housing ministry in
maharashtra state. “ But i have also looked at dharavi as a city within a
city, an informal city.”

It is an informal city as layered and fragile as a marbled ceramic.Plans to

raze and redevelop Dharavi into a ‘normal’ neighborhood have stirred a
debate about what would be gained but also about what might be lost by
trying to control and regulate dharavi. Every layer of Dharavi, when
exposed, reveals something far more complicated, and organic, than the
concept of a slum as merely a warehouse for the poor.

2. Socio-economic Conditions
For years, India’s government has tried with mixed success to increase
industrial output by developing special economic zones to lure major
manufacturers. Dharavi, by
contrast, could be called a
self-created special economic
zone for the poor. It is a visual
eyesore, a symbol of raw
inequality that epitomises the
failure of policy makers to
accommodate the millions of
rural migrants searching for
opportunity in Indian cities. It
also underscores the
determination of those migrants
to come anyway.

In the labyrinthine slum known as Dharavi are 60,000 structures, many

of them shanties, and as many as 1 million people living and working on
a triangle of land barely two-thirds the size of Central Park in Manhattan.
Dharavi is one of the world’s most infamous slums, a cliche of Indian
misery. It is also a churning hive of workshops with an annual economic
output estimated to be $600 million to more than $1 billion.
3. Urban Challenges in Dharavi

This section addresses the

infrastructure deficiencies, such as
inadequate sanitation, water supply,
and waste management systems. It
also highlights health risks and
environmental hazards, including
disease outbreaks, pollution, and
hygiene issues. Additionally, there are livelihood challenges faced by the
residents. other challenges relate to reliance on the informal economy,
unemployment, and limited access to formal markets.The streets smell
of sewage and sweets. There are not enough toilets. There is not
enough water. There is not enough space. Labourers sleep in sheds
known as pongal houses, six men, maybe eight, packed into a single,
tiny room.multiplied by many tiny rooms. Hygiene is terrible. Diarrhea
and malaria are common. Tuberculosis floats in the air, spread by
coughing or spitting.Traffic bleats. Flies and mosquitoes settle on
roadside carts of fruit and atop the hides of wandering goats. Ten
families share a single water tap, with water flowing through the pipes for
less than three hours every day, enough time for everyone to fill a cistern
or two. Toilets are communal, with a charge of two repees to defecate.
Sewage flows through narrow, open channels, slow-moving streams of
green water and garbage.
Lastly, multiple social issues are prevalent in Dharavi, such as crime,
gender inequality, and social exclusion.
Discrimination common toward Dharavi. Residents complain that they
are routinely rejected for credit cards if they list a Dharavi address.
Private banks are reluctant to make loans to businessmen in Dharavi or
to open branches. Part of this stigma is as much about social structure
as about living in the slum itself. “They all belong to the untouchables
caste,” said Korde, the longtime social activist, “or are Muslims.”
4. Initiatives and Interventions

Under a new Slum Clearance Act, the government must declare areas
identified as slums and then either build new, permanent homes or
improve living conditions in the slum.
The current slum redevelopment is based on the government's initiatives
in 1995. Today, private developers can purchase slum land from the
government at 25 percent of the fair market value and redevelop it. This
means utilizing a plan and developing tools to control population density.
Vision Mumbai is a plan to improve Dharavi. The project involves
constructing high-quality, high-rise tower blocks to replace squatter
settlement housing. Recent developments in Dharavi include: the
construction of sewage treatment plants and water recycling.

5. Case Study: Dharavi's Transformation

Case Study: Dharavi's Transformation

Dharavi, located in Mumbai, India, is a case study of significant interest

due to its remarkable transformation efforts. Once known as a sprawling
slum, Dharavi has undergone substantial changes in recent years. This
case study examines
the key factors and
initiatives that have
contributed to its
transformation.

Dharavi's
transformation can be
attributed to the Slum
Rehabilitation Authority
(SRA) and its flagship
project, the Dharavi
Redevelopment Project (DRP). The SRA, established by the
government, played a crucial role in facilitating the rehabilitation and
redevelopment of the slum.

Under the DRP, various initiatives were implemented to improve the

living conditions of the residents. The project focused on providing new,
structurally sound housing units, upgrading infrastructure, and creating
vibrant commercial spaces within the slum. It aimed to create a more
livable and sustainable environment for the inhabitants.

One of the notable aspects of the transformation was the involvement of

the community. The residents actively participated in the
decision-making processes, ensuring their voices were heard and their
needs were met. Community-driven initiatives, supported by grassroots
organizations and NGOs, played a significant role in empowering the
residents and fostering a sense of ownership and pride in their
neighborhood.

The success stories emerging from Dharavi's transformation are evident.

Improved housing conditions, enhanced infrastructure, and better access
to basic amenities have positively impacted the lives of the residents.
Economic opportunities have expanded, with the development of
commercial spaces enabling local businesses to thrive. The
transformation has also contributed to the reduction of social issues such
as crime and social exclusion.

6. Impact and Lessons Learned

The impact of Dharavi's transformation has been significant. The

improved living conditions and enhanced infrastructure have empowered
the residents, alleviated poverty, and stimulated economic growth. The
case study of Dharavi offers several lessons learned. It emphasizes the
importance of community participation and engagement in the
decision-making process, as well as the need for comprehensive and
sustainable approaches to slum redevelopment. Furthermore, it
highlights the value of public-private partnerships and the replication of
successful models in other slum areas. These lessons can guide future
policy interventions and urban planning efforts to uplift slums, create
inclusive cities, and improve the lives of slum dwellers worldwide.

7. Conclusion
Dharavi, like the epic slums of Karachi, Pakistan, or Rio de Janeiro, is
often categorised as a problem still unsolved, an emblem of inequity
pressing against Mumbai, India’s richest and most glamorous city. A
walk through Dharavi is a journey through a dank maze of
ever-narrowing passages until the shanties press together so tightly that
daylight barely reaches the footpaths below,as if the slum were a great
urban rain forest, covered by a canopy of smoke and sheet metal.