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Suhani Desai

Dr. Sherry Hu

16 July 2023

Overpopulation in Mumbai

In Mumbai, overpopulation will continue to cease development and cause increasing

medical consequences only if an approach is not taken by the government and those as

individuals to help solve such problems one by one. Data has proven Mumbai to have over 17

million residents and a definite increase in the future population. Overpopulation is a

complication in many countries in both Asia and Europe. Mumbai is a good representation of

these worries as it has unfortunately dealt with a great deal of the issues that come with

exceeding the population limit by a significant amount.

Mumbai’s environmental development is being directly affected from the infrastructure

of the whole city to the infrastructure of neighborhoods. Fast urbanization in Mumbai like the

construction of new roads, buildings, and transportation systems has led to many residents being

kicked out of their homes. These constructions are a must due to traffic congestion throughout

the city as more vehicles are inhabited. Many resources are being used up for these new

buildings, leaving barely any government budget for housing, schools, etc. 60% of Mumbai's

residents live in slums. Furthermore, gas emissions from transportation vehicles and factories are

polluting the air permanently causing unhealthy consumption directly into the lungs of the city’s

citizens. Poor lungs and breathing problems are barely able to be treated because of the rare

access to medical resources. With most of the government’s money being spent on the city’s

transportation infrastructure, they are also unable to do much when natural disasters such as

earthquakes and floods come along and cause severe damage.

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The health of the residents are declining as the limited resources slowly deplete.

As the population grows, so does the demand for essential resources such as water and energy.

More and more is being used causing a rapid depletion of these basic necessities, being used on

urbanization and less on residents. Although residents should be the priority when it comes to

water, food, medical resources, etc., the government unfortunately does not treat them as such.

Many people having to resort to drinking unsanitary water, have caught illnesses like cholera and

typhoid. These diseases spread rapidly throughout slums due to close contact. Unsanitary

sources, like food and medical resources, of Mumbai’s residents are continuing to be

compromised as well. Many young kids and elderly are at high risk due to the fact that they are

unemployed and have an even lesser chance of acquiring such scarce resources.

Mumbai can be helped by the government, small organizations, and individuals. The

government can promote more sustainable development by putting forth policies and precedents

that strictly forbid misuse of important resources. They could invest in small organizations and

help support the natural environment by using green technology to protect it. Strict rules about

emissions, waste management, and land use can be made. Rules like these make sure that big and

small industries both are not wasting or misusing residents resources. Smaller organizations can

be given money or time to be able make a bigger impact in the areas they focus on. There are

many organizations that focus on issues such as the urban poor, providing resources such as

food, etc. Some popular organizations include, United Way, Apnalaya, and Khaana Chahiye

Foundation. These charities focus on helping Mumbai’s residents and encourage donations from

anyone around the world to help boost their impact. Individuals can also be of great help by

starting with their community; cleaning local parks and other areas around their neighborhoods.

Reusing and recycling is very important so no resources go to waste. Supporting small

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organizations by donating is of greater help along with government support. A very important

way individuals can help is also social media. Many people have big platforms online with many

followers that could see what they post. The best way of making use of this tool is to post about

international issues like Mumbai’s overpopulation and bring more attention and awareness to

these topics.

This research covers a small amount of what the city of Mumbai is dealing with, yet,

even if one individual were to try and help with even one problem whether it be health,

development, or environment; the smallest of change is better than nothing. Many don’t give a

single thought on overpopulation in minor cities when showcased on television or news articles.

If those individuals were to experience it in the city they lived in, there would be turmoils of fear,

depression, anxiety, and much more that cannot even be described. It can only be imagined that

that is what the residents of Mumbai are currently experiencing and will continue to experience

if nothing is started.
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Works Cited

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-41464636

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/nov/24/mumbai-verge-imploding-polluted-megacity

https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/building-slum-free-mumbai

https://mumbai-megacities-project.weebly.com/problems-and-solutions.html

https://unitedwaymumbai.org/donation.htm

https://apnalaya.org/the-urban-poor/

https://www.khaanachahiye.com/