One of the most densely populated cities in the world is the Indian city of Mumbai. As the number of people living in Mumbai continues to increase – as of this writing, the official figure is 20 million and counting – space is rapidly running out. The solution, of course, is construction, and today hundreds of high-rise construction sites are being built across cities.
Almost all of them are mansions for the ultra-rich and up-and-coming folk.
Although not the official capital, Mumbai is the “financial capital of India”. It is the wealthiest city in the country, with a declared GDP of approximately $310 billion. One would think that these high-end residential projects would quickly solve the spatial problems the city is currently facing. However, the sad reality is that more than 55% of Mumbai’s population lives in slums and below the poverty line. There is a huge income gap between those living in the poorest parts of the city and the very rich. It is estimated that the income of the poor is at most 25% of that of the richest.
Hundreds of acres of Mumbai’s sprawling slums will be cleared, demolished and razed to accommodate the new hipster buildings. The largest slum in Asia is Dharavi, which is located in the middle or heart of Mumbai. The area is about 2 square kilometers, but millions of people live there.
It is a difficult place to live in, where poverty is rampant and there is no running water or reliable electricity, nor a formal sewage system. But Dharavi is a microcosm, the people who live there work very hard, run various small businesses and earn up to 800 euros a year! These businesses include plastic recycling, leather bag factories, etc.
Once a slum is demolished, developers are legally obliged to resettle the now displaced residents. They are usually sent to the suburbs of Mumbai, areas that are not economically viable or attractive. Their current home is a series of cheaply built apartment blocks that are overcrowded, surrounded by open sewers, and look dilapidated and barely maintained.
Another growing problem facing Mumbai is that its rapid expansion and growth have pushed residential areas beyond the city limits and into designated conservation areas. Sanjay Gandhi National Park is located in the north of Mumbai and covers an area of 100 square kilometers.
Wild leopards from parks are now moving into residential areas, mainly slums, where they stalk and hunt at night, attacking dogs and other domestic animals, but also humans. Dozens of children have been attacked and killed by leopards in recent years. This shows that these wild animals are adapting; you will be stronger, you will not be afraid. Their numbers are also increasing, as is the population of Mumbai.
By 2050, Mumbai will have a population of 40 million. Things will get worse unless action is taken to contain the population or the government, and civil society implements an ethical and sustainable expansion plan.
Directed by: Marc de La Villardière, Manolo d’Arthuys
