Dharavi (Portuguese spelling Daravi[1] British Anglicised spelling Darravy, Dorrovy) is a slum and administrative ward, over parts

of Sion, Bandra, Kurla and Kalina suburbs of Mumbai, India. It is sandwiched between Mahim in the west and Sion in the east,[2] and spread over an area of 175 hectares, or 0.67 square miles (1.7 km2). In 1986, the population was estimated at 530,225,[3] but modern Dharavi has a population of between 600,000[4] and over 1 million people.[5] Dharavi is one of the largest slums in the world.[5][6][4][7][8] It used to be the largest slum in Mumbai at one time, but as of 2011, there are four slums in Mumbai larger than Dharavi.[9] In most large cities, the floor space index (FSI) varies from 5 to 15 in the Central Business District (CBD) to about 0.5, or below, in the suburbs. In Mumbai the permitted FSI is uniform and in 1991 was fixed at 1.33. The regulations that restrict the FSI greatly reduce the floor space available for residence and business.[10] In expensive Mumbai, Dharavi provides a cheap alternative where rents were as low as US$4 per month in 2006.[11] Dharavi exports goods around the world.[12] The total (and largely informal) turnover is estimated to be between US$500 million[3] and over US$650 million per year.[11] Dharavi is Situated between Mumbai's two main suburban railway lines, the Western and Central Railways. To its west are Mahim and Bandra, and to the north lies the Mithi River, which empties into the Arabian Sea through the Mahim Creek. To its south and east are Sion and Matunga. Both its location and poor drainage systems make Dharavi particularly vulnerable to floods during the wet season. Dharavi covers an area of 535 acres (217 ha).[13]

edit] History

Pottery on sale in Dharavi In the 18th century, Dharavi was an island.[14] In February 1739, Chimnaji Appa attacked Bassein. Before that, he took possession of Dharavi. The area of present-day Dharavi was predominantly mangrove swamp before the late 19th century, inhabited by Koli fishermen.[15] However, the fishing industry disappeared when the swamp areas filled in. A dam at Sion, adjacent to Dharavi, hastened the process of joining

separate islands into one long, tapered mass. Thus began the transformation of the island city of Bombay. In the process, Dharavi's fishing town was deprived of its traditional sustenance, but the newly drained marshes provided space for new communities to move in. Migrants from Gujarat established a potters' colony, tanners from Tamil Nadu and Maharashtrian tanners belonging to the Charmarkar caste migrated to Dharavi and set up the leather tanning industry. Other artisans, like the embroidery workers from Uttar Pradesh, started the ready-made garments trade.[15] Tamil migrants, including Tamil Muslims, Adidravidars and Nadars started coming into the area in the late 19th century, many of whom worked in nearby tanneries; a large influx came in the 1920s. Bombay's first Tamil school and Dharavi's first school was constructed in 1924. It remained the only school of Dharavi for the next four decades. In 1930s, a single road passed through Dharavi towards the Mahim railway station.[16] Dharavi's Co-operative Housing Society was formed in the 1960s to uplift the lives of thousands of slum dwellers by the initiative of Shri. M.V. Duraiswamy, a well-known social worker and congress leader of that region. The Dharavi co-operative housing society promoted 338 flats and 97 shops and was named "Dr. Baliga Nagar."

[edit] Residents
A majority of the residents of Dharavi belong to the paraiyar caste especially the Adidravidar of the Tamil people, they had also built a Ganesh Temple and "The bombay South Indian AdiDravida Mahajana Sangh" which own the piece of land and the areas adjoining the temple.[17] Other castes and tribes are also present. Minorities include Christians, Muslims and Buddhists.

[edit] Economy
In addition to the traditional pottery and textile industries in Dharavi,[15] there is an increasingly large recycling industry, processing recyclable waste from other parts of Mumbai. The district has an estimated 5000 businesses[18] and 15,000 single-room factories.[19]

[edit] Redevelopment plans

There have been many plans since 1997[20] to redevelop Dharavi like the former slums of Hong Kong such as Tai Hang. In 2004, the cost of redevelopment was estimated to be 5,000 crore (US$950 million).[21] Companies from around the world have bid to redevelop Dharavi,[13] including Lehman Brothers, Dubais Limitless and Singapores Capitaland Ltd.[13] In 2010, it is estimated to cost 15,000 crore (US$2.85 billion) to redevelop.[21] The latest urban redevelopment plan proposed for the Dharavi area is managed by Americantrained architect Mukesh Mehta.[15] The plan[22] involves the construction of 30,000,000 square feet (2,800,000 m2) of housing, schools, parks and roads to serve the 57,000 families residing in the area, along with 40,000,000 square feet (3,700,000 m2) of residential and commercial space for sale.[23] There has been significant local opposition to the plans, largely because existing

residents are due to receive only 225 square feet (20.9 m2) of land each.[15][23] Furthermore, only those families who lived in the area before 2000 are slated for resettlement. Concerns have also been raised by residents who fear that some of their small businesses in the "informal" sector may not be relocated under the redevelopment plan.[24] The government has said that it will only legalize and relocate industries that are not "polluting."

[edit] Sanitation issues

Dharavi has severe problems with public health, due to the scarcity of toilet facilities, due in turn to the fact that most housing and 90% of the commercial units in Dharavi are illegal.[25] As of November 2006 there was only one toilet per 1,440 residents in Dharavi.[26] Mahim Creek, a local river, is widely used by local residents for urination and defecation, leading to the spread of contagious diseases.[15] The area also suffers from problems with inadequate drinking water supply.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag; see the help page

[edit] Media depiction

Dharavi has been depicted in a number of Hindi films produced by the Mumbai film industry. These include Salim-Javed films such as Deewaar (1975), Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay! (1988) where several child actors were from the Dharavi slum, Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Parinda (1989), Sudhir Mishra's Dharavi (1991), Ram Gopal Varma's "Indian Gangster Trilogy" (19982005) and Sarkar series (20052008), Vikram Bhatt's Footpath (2003), Anurag Kashyap's Black Friday (2004) and No Smoking (2007), Madhur Bhandarkar's Traffic Signal (2007), Rajeev Khandelwal's Aamir (2008), and other films based on the Mumbai underworld. Dharavi has been depicted in films from other Indian film industries, particularly the Tamil film industry. Several films by Mani Ratnam based on the experiences of Tamil immigrants to Mumbai have depicted the Dharavi slum, including Nayagan (1987) and Bombay (1995). Dharavi features prominently in Danny Boyle's 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire, where several of the child actors in the film are from the Dharavi slum. And the super hit movie Mankatha was shot here starring Ajith kumar.

Dharavi Redevelopment Project

1. Introduction: Dharavi is the largest and highly populated slum pocket in Asia. Govt. of Maharashtra has accepted the proposal submitted by Architect, Mr. Mukesh Mehta for the redevelopment of Dharavi which, after suitable modifications, will be implemented through the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), according to the norms of S. R. Act of 1971. 2. Development Plan: According to SRA norms, the slum dweller whose name appear in the voters list as on 01.01.1995 & who is actual occupant of the hutment is eligible for rehabilitation. Each family will be allotted a self contained house of 225 sq.ft. carpet area free of cost. The eligible slum dwellers appearing in Annexure II certified by the Competent Authority will be included in the Rehabilitation scheme. Eligible slum dwellers will be given rehab tenement in Dharavi. 3. Transit Tenements: During the implementation of this project, Dharavi residents will be provided with transit tenements, in close proximity of Dharavi or in Dharavi itself. The developer will bear the cost on account of rent of the transit tenements but the cost of expenditure of consumables like water, electricity, telephone etc. will have to be borne by the slum dwellers. 4. Sustainable Development: The development plan for Dharavi has many amenities in it; viz. wider roads, electricity, ample water supply, playgrounds, schools, colleges, medical centers, socio-cultural centers etc. For proper implementation, Dharavi has been divided into 10 sectors and sectors will be developed by different developers. The total duration of this project is excepted to be of 5 to 7 years. Rehabilitation building will be of 7 storeys. 5. Development Procedure: After considering the redevelopment plan, a detailed plane table survey has been carried out to know the ground realities. Also, consent of the slum dwellers to join this project is being obtained. After obtaining suggestions & objectives from the public for the revised development plan, the same will be finalized by Govt. For each sector a detailed sectoral plan will be prepared by the selected developer in consultation with SRA.This will be placed before the public for suggestion/objectives and then finalized after due amendments. 6. Appointment of the Developer: Global tenders will be invited from developers for this project. The developer will be evaluated technically and financially by a Committee headed by the Chief Secretary of Government of Maharashtra. Each developer is required to explain his development strategy in his sector and obtain objectives & suggestions from the residents before starting the development process. 7. Development of local Industrial units: Taking into consideration the various industrial units in Dharavi, it is being proposed that, non-polluting industrial / businesses will be retained in Dharavi itself. All the established businesses and manufacturing units will be encouraged and will be provided with modern technical and economical strategies for sustainable development.

Mumbai: It started a decade ago. A golf-loving architect who made swanky homes in New Yorks suburbs sauntered into the office of the then-ruling Shiv Sena party and demanded a big rehabilitation project that no one wanted to touch. The Sena gave him Dharavi. Mukesh Mehta, the consultant who walked away with the Rs9,350 crore assignment to plan the redevelopment of the second largest slum in the world, admits he did not understand poverty when he started out. After renting office space in Dharavi for six months, he discovered a lifes mission: to make the world slum-free. Yet, while Mehta pores over maps and versions of his dream project, the residents in Dharavi insist they want no part of it. Inside Dharavi, self-described con man-turned-community worker S.G. James cant bother with logistics and says he just wants to fight for a better deal for Dharavi residentsa bigger house. His gated, two-storey home looms over the shanties below, obviously the richest house on the street. On his terrace, the sky parts into strips of blue formed by high-voltage power lines between towers. Dragging deeply on his Gold Flake cigarette, he gets pensive: We may be squatters, but we made Dharavi what it is. We must have a share of the money that the builders are making. Papads put out for drying in Dharavis back alleys, which have become a hub of small businesses (Photo by: Abhijit Bhatlekar / Mint) The politicians, too, smell opportunity in this teeming slum. On the fringes of Dharavi, the back and forth, the uncertainty, the countless versions of Dharavis future have been a political bonanza for Dhansukh Parmar, busy plotting his own makeover into the voice of all potters in Kumbharwada, the potters village of Dharavi. Proud to be the only Gujarati Shiv Sena branch leader in Mumbai, he plans to run in the next election with a simple message: Vote for me and I will protect your homes. Beyond being a vital vote bank, Dharavi has emerged as an important issue. Last month, Shiv Sena leaders descended on Dharavi to change course and position on the project. Annoyed that the Congress government was milking favour through promises of a new Dharavi, the right-wing Sena switched role from conceiver of redevelopment to resister. Now, all the pushing, the posturing, the politicking may kill the Dharavi Redevelopment Project. It seems the various interest groupsthe squatters, developers, owners, urbanologists and politicianshave a stake in the many versions of the future of Dharavi, Asias biggest slum. Each has a different version of development, a different perspective on how to convert this valuable land into a vibrant business district in the heart of Mumbai, a starting point for sweeping changes in a city where creaky infrastructure always seems close to collapse.

But as the city explodesthe United Nations predicts Mumbai will become the worlds second largest city in 10 yearsthe only common ground found among the diverse voices is in their collective question: Whats in it for me? Stalling tactics A potter at his house. Vested interests may kill the redevelopment plan for Asiasbiggestslum (Photo by: Abhijit Bhatlekar / Mint) This year, when 45% of the work should have been done, even demolition has not begun. For a decade, the government has persuaded residents to allow it to flatten the existing slums. In return, the state offered every displaced family a 225 sq. ft apartment in high rises. But the residents, mostly squatters with no legal rights to the land, believe that they built Dharavi and so, have earned a greater share of the pie. No doubt, the profits or potential for them are great. But so is the confusion. Some estimate that land alone to be worth $10 billion (around Rs40,000 crore) and depending on whom you talk to, anywhere from 57,000 to 90,000 families live on it. The project plans are based on the first number. But if the second number is true, the project will have to go back to the drawing board. In an even worse doom-and-gloom scenario, if political parties cannot find a meeting ground on how much compensation space to give the slum dwellers, the project may be scrapped entirely. Frustrated by the political interference, T. Chandrashekar, who spearheaded the project, is expected to resign later this month. He didnt answer calls for comment, but people close to him confirmed that the executive officer of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) is stepping down. They spoke on the condition of anonymity. Aware of the gold mine their homes have become, residents are caught between builders, government, politicians and their own aspirations and dont know in whom to put their faith. A little room In Kumbharwada, the potters village at the fringe of Dharavi, brothers partition the house when they marry; children are born into both families and the trade; sons marry and they add a mezzanine floor for the new couple and the entire neighbourhood dotes on all the half-clad grandchildren playing amid the pots in the kilns. During the day, the house is covered in clay and pots. At night we move them to the side and sleep, said Kishore Ranchod Chauhan, who lives and works with 20 others in the house that has belonged to the family for four generations. It was leased to the family for 99 years under the Vacant Land Tenant Act. For now, the place, albeit small and dark, no windows, only one door, is rightfully his. His cousins work on their pots and tempers are frayed; sweat trickles down arms and clings to shirts while a noisy fan whirs without really beating the humidity. His home has room for everyone, but no place for privacythe

community bears witness to everything. Even this is too small. How do they expect us to fit in a 225 sq. ft flat? demands Chauhan, lifting his five-year-old nephew off the ground. Even the squatters, who live in wretched, waste-strewn hovels, dont mind waiting. Alishamma Suthar, 65, came with her husband and two children from a small village in Andhra Pradesh and spent her life as a construction worker; building homes for others while living in makeshift huts before squatting in Dharavi. Fifteen years ago, she bought this house for Rs3,000: a cramped room where her daughter and threemonth-old granddaughter now sleep. A little door brings in little light but many smells from the street. Like most other homes, it has no bathroom. So every morning, under the cover of nothing but a fading night, she hikes to the open ground 10 minutes away. These days, they padlock that too. So if I have to go, we have to go to one toilet that everyone shares. You should see the lines, oh God, she said. You go at seven, your turn will come by 10. In between you will see fighting over who came firstwomen, tearing each others hair. She says a home fit for human habitation cannot come soon enough. But even so, if there is a chance that her grandchildren can have a bigger house, say 400 sq. ft, she is willing to wait a few more years. After all, families only expand, she explained, admiring the baby next to her. Residents bigger concern is the fate of the small businesses that have mushroomed in the back alleys of Dharavi. Local entrepreneurs have converted it into a hub: one million idlis leave here each day to be eaten by people across the city; and these entrepreneurs ply the city with homemade papads, chaklis and other savoury snacks made in the open by the sewers, or in 10-by-10 rooms where the air hangs still with the stench of oil and haze of flour. On mezzanine floors of tiny hutments, where the ceiling is so low that one can only sit, tailors hunch over intricate zari work, stitching glittering laces on fine chiffon that look regal and oddly out of place in their hands. And while these businesses tell a story of grit in the face of hardship, a tale of entrepreneurship and success, very few businesses pay taxes and certainly dont offer their employees humane working conditions. Reports of deaths and child labour have hounded Dharavi for a long time and last November, the Mumbai police rescued 50 children from small zari and leather sweatshops here. Spoiling for a fight This is our whole life, defends Raju Korde, a political worker and member of the Communist Party of India, who started the Dharavi Bachao Andolan, or the Save Dharavi Movement. Korde, who owns a mobile shop, a printing business, and has a stake in a local bank, insists that livelihoods have to be protected: We have set upour lives here. People have made a living here. They have nothing else. When he began running the Dharavi Times newspaper, he did not realize it would make him the leader of a movement and bring journalists from all over the world to his door trying to understand Dharavi. The exposure has helped raise his status in the party from a worker to leader. Last month brought coverage in

The Economist magazine. I interviewed Mukesh Mehta. I studied his plans, and realized it was anti-people. So I decided to mobilize people against it, he says. In private, Korde says he realizes that these are Dharavis final days: This plan will be implemented. And it should, because development is good. But only if he gets what he wants, he adds. If I can get them 400 sq. ft, instead of 225, then it is good. All other slum rehabilitation buildings in the city provide only 225 sq. ft apartments. Dharavi is different because it has one million people and, quite practically speaking, most of them vote. Space is an intensely human problem that resonates with every Mumbaikar, and is an issue that poll-bound parties cannot ignore. Last month, Shiv Senas Uddhav Thackeray threatened the Congress in a rally at Dharavi: We will not allow laying of a single brick in Dharavi if the residents did not get 400 sq. ft home instead of the proposed 225 sq. ft. In true Thackeray style, he issued a deadline: eight days. He gave the state government the deadline to draft a new blue print for the project. That was 23 days ago. There has been no new draft. But the rally rattled the government. Last week, in a closed-door meeting, chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh asked for feasibility studies and see if there is any way to meet the 400 sq. ft demand. Trying to appease everyone will be the straw that breaks the camels back, a person closely involved in negotiations said, on the condition of anonymity. Naming the official may jeopardize ongoing negotiations, but he said everyone cannot have 400 sq. ft. To do so, he says, would make the project unviable and compromise quality, and after all this, Dharavi will remain Dharavi. Rahul Chandran in New Delhi contributed to this story.