View source for Dharavi

{{EngvarB|date=May 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{AI-generated|date=October 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                   = Dharavi
| official_name          = 
| settlement_type        = [[Slum]]
| image_skyline          = Dharavi India.jpg
| image_alt              = 
| image_caption          = View of Dharavi
| map_alt                = 
| map_caption            = 
| pushpin_map            = Mumbai
| pushpin_map_alt        = 
| pushpin_map_caption    = Dharavi, [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra state|Maharashtra]]
| coordinates            = {{Coord|19|02|16|N|72|51|13|E|display=inline,title}}[https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Dharavi&params=19_02_16_N_72_51_13_E_type:city_region:IN-MH]
| subdivision_type       = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name       = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1      = [[States and union territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_type2      = [[List of districts in India|District]]
| subdivision_type3      = City
| subdivision_name1      = [[Maharashtra]]
| subdivision_name2      = [[Mumbai City district|Mumbai City]]
| subdivision_name3      = [[Mumbai]]
| established_title      = Founded
| established_date       = 1884
| founder                = 
| named_for              = 
| government_type        = [[Municipal corporation]]
| governing_body         = [[Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation]] (MCGM)
| unit_pref              = Metric
| area_footnotes         = 
| area_total_km2         = 2.39
| area_rank              = 
| elevation_footnotes    = 
| elevation_m            = 20.47 
| population_footnotes   = 
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population             = 700,000 to 1,000,000
| population_as_of          = 2016
| demographics_type1     = [[Language]]
| demographics1_title1   = Official
| demographics1_info1    = [[Marathi language|Marathi]]
| timezone1              = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1            = +05:30
| postal_code_type       = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code            = 400017
| area_code              = +9122
| area_code_type         = [[Telephone]] code
| registration_plate     = MH-01
| blank1_name_sec1       = Civic agency
| blank1_info_sec1       = [[Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation|BMC]]
| website                = 
| footnotes              = 
}}

[[File:Principaux Bidonvilles.png|Dharavi compared to other great slums in the world. Map according to [[Mike Davis (scholar)|Mike Davis]].|thumb|right]]

'''Dharavi''' is a residential area in [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra]], India. It has often been considered one of the world's largest [[slum]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Dharavi-in-Mumbai-is-no-longer-Asias-largest-slum/articleshow/9119450.cms|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=9 November 2018|year=2011 |title=Dharavi in Mumbai is no longer Asia's largest slum|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181111002239/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Dharavi-in-Mumbai-is-no-longer-Asias-largest-slum/articleshow/9119450.cms|archive-date=11 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=The Next Billion Users: Digital Life Beyond the West|last=Arora|first=Payal|publisher=Harvard University Press|year=2019|isbn=9780674983786|location=Cambridge, Massachusetts|pages=75|oclc=1057240289}}</ref> Dharavi has an area of just over {{convert|2.39|km2|sqmi acre}}<ref name="Shanty-towns emerge targets for development">{{cite news |url=http://www.livemint.com/Money/1V0Zs8oNNvbAWEP6xHQQzN/Shantytowns-emerge-targets-for-development.html |title=Shanty-towns emerge targets for development |work=Livemint |access-date=27 December 2016 |date=6 July 2007 |first=Gayatri |last=Ramanathan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170119202545/http://www.livemint.com/Money/1V0Zs8oNNvbAWEP6xHQQzN/Shantytowns-emerge-targets-for-development.html |archive-date=19 January 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> and a population of about 1,000,000.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grey |first=Deborah |title=India’s biggest slum faces wrecking ball as residents fear change |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2023/1/24/hopes-and-fears-as-slumdog-millionaire-slum-faces-wrecking-ball |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref> With a [[population density]] of over {{pop density|1000000|2.39|km2|sqmi|prec=0}}, Dharavi is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.

The Dharavi slum was founded in 1884 during the British colonial era, and grew because of the expulsion of factories and residents from the peninsular city centre by the colonial government, and due to the migration of rural Indians into urban Mumbai.  For this reason, Dharavi is currently a highly diverse settlement, religiously and ethnically.<ref name="Sharma, Kalpana 2000">Sharma, Kalpana; ''Rediscovering Dharavi: Story From Asia's Largest Slum'' (2000) – Penguin Books {{ISBN|0-14-100023-6}}</ref>

Dharavi has an active [[informal economy]] in which numerous household enterprises employ many of the slum residents<ref name="Ahmed">{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7676337.stm |work=BBC News |title=Indian slum hit by New York woes |date=20 October 2008 |access-date=1 May 2010 |first=Zubair |last=Ahmed |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081023153647/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7676337.stm |archive-date=23 October 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref>—leather, textiles and pottery products are among the goods made inside Dharavi. The total annual turnover has been estimated at over {{USD}}1 billion.<ref name="nyenrode">{{cite web |url=http://www.nyenrode.nl/businesstopics/europeindia/Pages/%E2%80%9CJaiHo%E2%80%9DDharavi.aspx |title=Jai Ho Dharavi |publisher=Nyenrode Business Universiteit |access-date=5 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531175111/http://www.nyenrode.nl/businesstopics/europeindia/Pages/%E2%80%9CJaiHo%E2%80%9DDharavi.aspx |archive-date=31 May 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Dharavi has suffered from many epidemics and other disasters, including a widespread [[Bombay plague epidemic|plague in 1896]] which killed over half of the population of Bombay.<ref name="Swaminathan, M. 1995">Swaminathan, M. (1995). "Aspects of urban poverty in Bombay." ''Environment and Urbanization'', 7(1), 133–144</ref> Sanitation in the slums remains poor.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Bombay Slum Sanitation Program – Partnering with Slum Communities for SustainableSanitation in a Megalopolis |date=1 September 2006 |publisher=World bank |location=Washington |url=http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/620841468041130033/pdf/384560IN0Mumbai0slum01PUBLIC1.pdf |access-date=15 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170815152603/http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/620841468041130033/pdf/384560IN0Mumbai0slum01PUBLIC1.pdf |archive-date=15 August 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==History==
In the 18th century, Dharavi was an island with a predominantly [[mangrove swamp]].<ref name="origins">{{cite book|last=D'Cunha|first=Jose Gerson|title=The Origins of Bombay|publisher=Asian Educational Services|location=Bombay|year=1900|edition=3|page=265|chapter=IV The Portuguese Period|isbn=978-81-206-0815-3|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=miD5YO05jpUC&q=the+origins+of+bombay|access-date=4 January 2009}}</ref> It was a sparsely populated village before the late 19th century, inhabited by [[Koli people|Koli]] fishermen.<ref name="natgeo">{{Cite news |url=http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0705/feature3/ |title=Dharavi Mumbai's Shadow City |first=Mark |last=Jacobson |work=[[National Geographic (magazine)|National Geographic]] |date=May 2007 |access-date=30 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121103109/http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0705/feature3/ |archive-date=21 November 2008 |url-status=dead |author-link=The Lampshade: A Holocaust Detective Story from Buchenwald to New Orleans}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Globalization and Community, Volume 23 : Durable Slum : Dharavi and the Right to Stay Put in Globalizing Mumbai|last=Weinstein|first=Liza|publisher=University of Minnesota Press|date=June 2014|isbn=9780816683109|location=Minneapolis, MN, USA|pages=5}}</ref> Dharavi was then referred to as the village of [[Koliwada]].<ref name=jn2010/>

===Colonial era===
In the 1850s, after decades of urban growth under [[East India Company]] and [[British Raj]], the city's population reached half a million. The urban area then covered mostly the southern extension of Bombay peninsula, the population density was over 10 times higher than [[London]] at that time.<ref name=jn2010>Jan Nijman, A STUDY OF SPACE IN BOMBAY'S SLUMS, Tijdschrift Voor economic en social geographies, Volume 101, Issue 1, pages 4–17, February 2010</ref>

[[File:Shanty dwellings, Railway tracks and Mosque in Dharavi Slum Mumbai India February 2010.jpg|thumb|left|Shanty dwellings next to railway tracks in Dharavi (about 2010). A mosque inside the slum is visible. The railway network provides mass transit to the slum residents.]]
The most polluting industries were tanneries, and the first tannery moved from peninsular Bombay into Dharavi in 1887. People who worked with leather, typically a profession of lowest Hindu castes and of Muslim Indians, moved into Dharavi. Other early settlers included the [[Kumhar|Kumbhars]], a large Gujarati community of potters. The colonial government granted them a 99-year land-lease in 1895. Rural migrants looking for jobs poured into Bombay, and its population soared past 1 million. Other artisans, like the [[embroidery]] workers from [[Uttar Pradesh]], started the ready-made garments trade.<ref name="natgeo" /> These industries created jobs, labor moved in, but there was no government effort to plan or investment in any infrastructure in or near Dharavi. The living quarters and small scale factories grew haphazardly, without provision for sanitation, drains, safe drinking water, roads or other basic services. But some ethnic, caste and religious communities that settled in Dharavi at that time helped build the settlement of Dharavi by forming organizations and political parties, building school and temples, constructing homes and factories.<ref name=":0" /> Dharavi's first mosque, Badi Masjid, started in 1887 and the oldest Hindu temple, Ganesh Mandir, was built in 1883 and organizing Ganesh Chaturthi of 112th year since 1913 folloing the Southern Tirunelveli Culture.<ref name=jn2010 />

===Post-independence===
At India's independence from colonial rule in 1947, Dharavi had grown to be the largest slum in Bombay and all of India. It still had a few empty spaces, which continued to serve as waste-dumping grounds for operators across the city.<ref name=jn2010 /> Bombay, meanwhile, continued to grow as a city. Soon Dharavi was surrounded by the city, and became a key hub for informal economy.<ref>, Eyre, L. (1990), "The shanty towns of central Bombay." ''Urban Geography'' 11, pages 130–152</ref> Starting from the 1950s, proposals for Dharavi redevelopment plans periodically came out, but most of these plans failed because of lack of financial banking and/or political support.<ref name=":0" /> 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 society promoted 338 flats and 97 shops and was named as Dr. Baliga Nagar. By the late 20th century, Dharavi occupied about {{convert|432|acre|ha|order=flip}}, with an astounding population density of more than 2,900 people per hectare (1,200/acre).<ref name=jn2010/><ref>Graber et al. (2005), "Living and working in slums of Bombay." Working paper 36. Magdeburg: Otto-von-Guericke Universitat, Netherlands</ref>

=== Redevelopment plan ===
The area is a hub for around 5,000 businesses and 15,000 single-room factories across leather, textiles, pottery, metalwork, and recycling, contributing to an annual economic output estimated at over $1 billion (₹10,000 crore). Despite being an economic powerhouse, Dharavi faces significant challenges. A 2006 UNHDR report highlighted an average of one toilet for every 1,440 residents, underscoring the area's inadequate sanitation infrastructure.

[[File:Pottery unit in Dharavi, Mumbai.jpg|thumb|left|A traditional pottery unit in Dharavi.]]

[[File:Dharavi slum in Mumbai, India August 2009 3.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Street vendors and farmers market along the road passing through Dharavi slum in Mumbai.]]
There have been many plans since 1997 to redevelop Dharavi like the former slums of Hong Kong such as [[Tai Hang]]. In 2004, the cost of redevelopment was estimated to be {{IRs|5000|c}}.<ref name="economictimes.indiatimes.com">{{cite news |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Calls-to-scrap-Dharavi-makeover-gain-ground/articleshow/6363548.cms |work=The Times of India |title=Calls to scrap Dharavi makeover gain ground |date=20 August 2010 |access-date=3 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925015929/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Calls-to-scrap-Dharavi-makeover-gain-ground/articleshow/6363548.cms |archive-date=25 September 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> The first formal plan for Dharavi’s redevelopment was announced in 2004, but it took the government five years to act on it. When the first tender was finally released in 2009, it saw zero bids which was a sign that developers saw the project as too risky. The tender was cancelled in 2011, and the project stalled once again. 
Companies from around the world have bid to redevelop Dharavi,<ref name="livemint.com">{{cite web |first=Madhurima |last=Nandy |url=http://www.livemint.com/2010/04/23222011/US-firm-exits-Dharavi-project.html?d=1 |title=US firm exits Dharavi project citing delays |publisher=Livemint |date=23 April 2010 |access-date=7 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110916195031/http://www.livemint.com/2010/04/23222011/US-firm-exits-Dharavi-project.html?d=1 |archive-date=16 September 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> including [[Lehman Brothers]], Dubai's Limitless and Singapore's Capitaland Ltd.<ref name="livemint.com" /> In 2010, it was estimated to cost {{IRs|15000|c}} to redevelop.<ref name="economictimes.indiatimes.com" />

In 2008 German students Jens Kaercher and Lucas Schwind won a Next Generation prize for their innovative redevelopment strategy designed to protect the current residents from needing to relocate.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lafargeholcim-foundation.org/projects/realizing-solutions-for-the-redevelopment-of-dharavi-mumbai-in|title=Realizing solutions for the redevelopment of Dharavi, Mumbai, In|last=info@lafargeholcim-foundation.org|first=LafargeHolcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction|website=LafargeHolcim Foundation website|access-date=20 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820235021/https://www.lafargeholcim-foundation.org/projects/realizing-solutions-for-the-redevelopment-of-dharavi-mumbai-in|archive-date=20 August 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Other redevelopment schemes include the "Dharavi Masterplan" devised by British architectural and engineering firm Foster + Partners, that proposes "double-height spaces that create an intricate vertical landscape and reflect the community's way of life" built-in phases that the firm says would "eliminate the need for transit camps," instead catalyzing the rehabilitation of Dharavi "from within."

=== Sector-Based Approach Fails: 2016 ===
The next attempt came in 2016, with a different approach which divided Dharavi into five sectors, with MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority) handling one, while private developers were invited to bid for the remaining four. Yet, once again, no bidders came forward. Developers feared there was a low return on investment and the challenge of relocating thousands of businesses and families without resistance was a big one.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-04-21 |title=Dharavi redevelopment project: Tender terms turn off developers, no bids |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/dharavi-redevelopment-project-tender-terms-turn-off-developers-no-bids/ |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

=== The Seclink Controversy: 2018 – 2020 ===
After the unsuccessful bid process and various concessions through the 5 November 2018 Government Resolution, the Dharavi Redevelopment Project/Slum Rehabilitation Authority came out with a tender process in November 2018. Seclink Technology Corporation (STC), a UAE-based firm emerged as the highest bidder with a bid of Rs. 7,200 crore.
However, the state government was in talks with Indian Railways to acquire the 45 acres of additional land in Mahim, which posed a major roadblock in the project’s scope. This also led to a legal debate if the government should continue with the existing tender or if a fresh bidding process was required.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Desk |first=NDTV Profit |date=2024-12-20 |title=Dharavi Redevelopment Project: Timeline Of 'Reckless' Seclink Case That Bombay High Court Dismissed |url=https://www.ndtvprofit.com/law-and-policy/dharavi-redevelopment-project-timeline-of-reckless-seclink-case-that-bombay-high-court-dismissed |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=NDTV Profit |language=en}}</ref>

In August 2020, the Committee of Secretaries (CoS) finally decided to cancel the 2018 Dharavi redevelopment tender, citing material changes due to the inclusion of 45 acres of railway land. This decision was based on Attorney General Ashutosh Kumbhkoni’s opinion who advised that a fresh tender was the right way to proceed. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, led by Uddhav Thackeray, approved the cancellation on 29 October 2020, and the Housing Department issued a formal resolution on 5 November 2020. Against GoM’s decision, the Highest Bidder (Seclink) filed a writ petition in the High Court, however, the High Court did not issue any stay for the fresh tender process.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-12-21 |title=Plea lacks force, says HC; dismisses SecLink’s petition against awarding Dharavi project to Adani |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/plea-lacks-force-says-hc-dismisses-seclink-s-petition-against-awarding-dharavi-project-to-adani-101734723216466.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250117223201/https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/plea-lacks-force-says-hc-dismisses-seclink-s-petition-against-awarding-dharavi-project-to-adani-101734723216466.html |archive-date=2025-01-17 |access-date=2025-03-07 |work=Hindustan Times |language=en-us}}</ref>

=== A Fresh Start: 2022 – 2023 ===
In 2022, the newly elected government made significant changes to the tendering process for the fourth time. Taking the learnings from past failures, the Government of Maharashtra issued a global Request for Qualification (RFQ) and Request for Proposal (RFP) with revised terms.
This time around, instead of dividing Dharavi into five sectors, the entire redevelopment was consolidated into a single Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), allowing for integrated planning and execution.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-12-28 |title=Dharavi redevelopment project’s special purpose vehicle renamed to avoid confusion with govt authority |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/dharavi-redevelopment-projects-special-purpose-vehicle-renamed-to-avoid-confusion-with-govt-authority/articleshow/116749146.cms#:~:text=The%20SPV%20was%20set%20up,and%20the%20Slum%20Rehabilitation%20Authority. |access-date=2025-03-07 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

=== Adani Wins the Bid: 2023 ===
The fresh bidding process attracted multiple participants, but ultimately, in July 2023, Adani Properties Pvt Ltd sent out a ₹5,069 crore bid and secured the project. In the spring of 2023, it became known that the Indian billionaire [[Gautam Adani]] intends to do the reconstruction of Dharavi. Adani Properties Pvt. offers the largest amount of construction investments - 615 million dollars. Mumbai authorities estimate the total cost of the work at $2.4 billion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rbc.ru/society/07/04/2023/642f89999a794701d650fd37|title=Миллиардер из Индии решил перестроить район из "Миллионера из трущоб"|language=ru|date=2023-06-07|website=RBC}}</ref>

This is how Dharavi Redevelopment Project Private Limited (DRPPL) finally started, founded in. As of April 2024, a survey is being conducted by Adani Group to rehabilitate Dharavi residents for redevelopment.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-02 |title=Mumbai: 2nd Phase Of Dharavi Housing Survey Begins, New Flats To Have Attached Kitchen, Toilets |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/mumbai/mumbai-2nd-phase-of-dharavi-housing-survey-begins-new-flats-to-have-attached-kitchen-toilets-article-108967415 |access-date=2024-04-02 |website=TimesNow |language=en}}</ref> On 20 December 2024, the High Court of Bombay awarded the Adani Group after the SecLink Group tried to sue.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-20 |title=Bombay HC upholds tender awarded to Adani Group to redevelop Dharavi slum |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/bombay-hc-upholds-tender-awarded-to-adani-group-to-redevelop-dharavi-slum-sprawl/article69007919.ece |access-date=2024-12-21 |website=The Hindu |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-20 |title=Dharavi slum redevelopment project: Bombay HC dismisses plea against tender awarded to Adani Group|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/business/bombay-high-court-upholds-tender-awarded-to-adani-group-to-redevelop-dharavi-slum-sprawl/cid/2072088|access-date=2024-12-21 |website=Telegraph India|language=en}}</ref>

On 8 March 2025 the [[Supreme Court of India|Supreme Court]] refused to stay the redevelopment work by Adani group based on the lawsuit by SecLink Group.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-08 |title=Supreme Court refuses to stay Adani Group’s Dharavi redevelopment project |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/supreme-court-refuses-stay-adani-group-dharavi-redevelopment-project-9874002/ |access-date=2025-03-08 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

=== Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited ===
The DRPPL has since been renamed to Navbharat Mega Developers Pvt. Ltd. (NMDPL) is an SPV Company constituted to execute the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP). The Dharavi Redevelopment Project is a first-of-its-kind initiative that aims to transform the Dharavi slum into a state-of-the-art township while preserving its legacy.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dharavi Redevelopment Project Private Ltd (DRPPL) Changes Name To Navbharat Mega Developers Private Ltd (NMDPL) |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/dharavi-redevelopment-project-private-ltd-drppl-changes-name-to-navbharat-mega-developers-private-ltd-nmdpl |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Free Press Journal |language=en}}</ref>

NMDPL operates with a strong public-private partnership model:
•	The Government of Maharashtra holds a 20% stake.
•	Adani Group holds the remaining 80% and has to bear the responsibility to invest and execute.
For the first time in decades, Dharavi’s redevelopment has moved beyond paperwork and politics.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-29 |title=Dharavi Redevelopment Project renamed to Navbharat Mega Developers |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/information/story/dharavi-redevelopment-project-renamed-to-navbharat-mega-developers-2656927-2024-12-29 |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref>

Dharavi’s redevelopment has been nearly two decades in the making pushed now and then due to bureaucratic delays, failed tenders, and concerns over displacement. The land, split between BMC, Indian Railways, and state agencies, saw unplanned settlement growth and demanded immediate course correction. This is when the Government of Maharashtra introduced the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance, and Redevelopment) Act of 1971 to rehabilitate the slums rather than displace them. In 1976, the census also attempted to formalize residency through photo passes, but large-scale redevelopment remained elusive.

==Demographics==
The total current population of the Dharavi slum is unknown because of fast changes in the population of migrant workers coming from neighbouring Gujarat state, though voter turnout for the 2019 Maharashtra state legislative assembly election was 119,092 (yielding a 60% rate). Some sources suggest it is 300,000<ref name="claralewis">{{Cite news |first=Clara |last=Lewis |date=2011-07-06 |title=Dharavi in Mumbai is no longer Asia's largest slum |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/dharavi-in-mumbai-is-no-longer-asias-largest-slum/articleshow/9119450.cms |access-date=2024-07-29 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref name="Slums: The case of Mumbai, India">{{Cite book |last=Neelima Risbud |url=http://archive.org/details/mumbai-slum-case-study |title=Urban Slums Reports: The case of Mumbai, India, Risbud 2003 |date=2003 |language=english}}</ref> to about a million.<ref name=jimyardley>{{Cite web |last=Yardley |first=Jim |title=Dharavi: Self-created special economic zone for the poor |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/dharavi-self-created-special-economic-2302874 |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en |agency=International Herald Tribune}}</ref> With Dharavi spread over {{convert|500|acre|ha|order=flip}}, it is also estimated to have a population density of 869,565 people per square mile. Among the people, about 20% work on animal skin production, tanneries and leather goods. Other artisans specialise in pottery work, textile goods manufacturing, retail and trade, distilleries and other caste professions – all of these as small-scale household operations. With a literacy rate of 69%, Dharavi is the most literate slum in India.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_mumbai-s-slums-are-india-s-most-literate_1015111 |title=Mumbai's slums are India's most literate |publisher=Dnaindia.com |date=27 February 2006 |access-date=16 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728070119/http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_mumbai-s-slums-are-india-s-most-literate_1015111 |archive-date=28 July 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The western edge of Dharavi is where its original inhabitants, the Kolis, reside. Dharavi consists of various language speakers such as Gujarati, [[Hindi]], [[Marathi language|Marathi]], [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Telugu language|Telugu]], and many more.<ref name="Fernando 2014 c786">{{cite web | last=Fernando | first=Benita | title=An urbanist's guide to the Mumbai slum of Dharavi | website=the Guardian | date=2014-04-02 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/apr/01/urbanist-guide-to-dharavi-mumbai | access-date=2023-09-28}}</ref> The slum residents are from all over India, people who migrated from rural regions of many different states.<ref>Sharma, Kalpana (2000). ''Rediscovering Dharavi: Stories from Asia's Largest Slum''. Penguin Books India; {{ISBN|978-0141000237}}</ref>

About 29% of the population of Dharavi is Muslim.<ref>[http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/05/dharavi-mumbai-slum/jonas-bendiksen-photography Dharavi: Mumbai's Shadow City] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180214214727/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/05/dharavi-mumbai-slum/jonas-bendiksen-photography |date=14 February 2018}} ''National Geographic'' (2007)</ref><ref>[http://censusindia.gov.in/Census_And_You/religion.aspx Census Data: India] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315004939/http://censusindia.gov.in/Census_And_You/religion.aspx |date=15 March 2018}} Government of India</ref> The Christian population is estimated to be about 6%,<ref>[http://nazrene.org/dharavi_deanery.html History of Dharavi churches] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131127042243/http://nazrene.org/dharavi_deanery.html |date=27 November 2013 }} Dharavi Deanery (2011)</ref> while the rest are predominantly Hindus with some Buddhists and other minority religions.  The slum has numerous mosques, temples and churches to serve people of Hindu, Islam and Christian faiths, with Badi Masjid, a mosque, as the oldest religious structure in Dharavi.

==Location and characteristics==
[[File:Bombaywardsmap''H-E''.PNG|thumb|upright|Dharavi is located in Ward H East, marked in dark blue, one of the many [[Administrative divisions of Mumbai|British-era administrative wards]] of Mumbai city limits (yellow). Dharavi is southern end of Ward H East, and other residential and commercial areas in the Ward marked in dark blue include [[Santacruz, Mumbai|Santacruz]], [[Vile Parle]] and [[Mahim]].]] 
Dharavi is a large area situated between Mumbai's two main suburban railway lines, the Western and Central Railways. It is also adjacent to [[Bombay Airport|Mumbai Airport]]. To the west of Dharavi are [[Mahim]] and [[Bandra]], and to the north lies the [[Mithi River]]. The Mithi River empties into the [[Arabian Sea]] through the [[Mahim Creek]]. The area of [[Antop Hill]] lies to the east while the locality called [[Matunga]] is located in the South. Due to its location and poor sewage and drainage systems, Dharavi particularly becomes vulnerable to floods during the [[wet season]].

[[File:Slum in Dharavi - Kristian Bertel.jpg|thumb|Slum shacks in Dharavi, [[India]].]]

Dharavi is considered one of the largest slums in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.kristianbertel.dk/archive/slum-areas-of-mumbai-bombay-in-india.html |title=Slum areas of Mumbai (Bombay) in India |website=Kristian Bertel Photography |access-date=30 January 2021 }}</ref> The low-rise building style and narrow street structure of the area make Dharavi very cramped and confined. Like most slums, it is overpopulated.

==Economy==
[[File:An embroidery unit in Dharavi, Mumbai.jpg|thumb|left|An embroidery unit in Dharavi.]]
In addition to the traditional [[pottery]] and textile industries in Dharavi,<ref name="natgeo" /> there is an increasingly large [[recycling]] industry, processing recyclable waste from other parts of [[Mumbai]]. Recycling in Dharavi is reported to employ approximately 250,000 people.<ref name="gua" /> While recycling is a major industry in the neighborhood, it is also reported to be a source of heavy pollution in the area.<ref name="gua" /> The district has an estimated 5,000 businesses<ref>{{cite web |first=Madhurima |last=Nandy |url=http://www.livemint.com/2010/03/23000503/Harvard-students-get-lessons-o.html?d=1 |title=Harvard students get lessons on Dharavi |publisher=Livemint |date=23 March 2010 |access-date=7 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110918192410/http://www.livemint.com/2010/03/23000503/Harvard-students-get-lessons-o.html?d=1 |archive-date=18 September 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> and 15,000 single-room factories.<ref name="gua">{{Cite news |last=McDougall |first=Dan |date=2007-03-04 |title=Waste not, want not in the £700m slum |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2007/mar/04/india.recycling |access-date=2024-07-29 |work=The Observer |language=en-GB |issn=0029-7712}}</ref> Two major suburban railways feed into Dharavi, making it an important commuting station for people in the area going to and from work.

Dharavi exports goods around the world.<ref name="Ahmed" /> Often these consist of various leather products, jewellery, various accessories, and textiles. Markets for Dharavi's goods include stores in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.<ref name="Ahmed" /> The total (and largely informal economy) turnover is estimated to be between {{USD}}500 million,<ref name="nyenrode" /> and {{USD}}650 million per year,<ref name="bbc">{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/world/06/dharavi_slum/html/dharavi_slum_intro.stm |title=Dharavi|work=BBC News|access-date=2 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100906022807/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/world/06/dharavi_slum/html/dharavi_slum_intro.stm|archive-date=6 September 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> to over {{USD}}1 billion per year.<ref name="gua"/> The per capita income of the residents, depending on estimated population range of 300,000 to about 1 million, ranges between US$500 and US$2,000 per year.

A few travel operators offer guided tours through Dharavi, showing the industrial and the residential part of Dharavi and explaining about the problems and challenges Dharavi is facing. These tours give a deeper insight into a slum in general and Dharavi in particular.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/destinations/india/article7124205.ece|title=Mumbai slum tour: why you should see Dharavi|access-date=7 November 2012|work=The Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100522184950/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/destinations/india/article7124205.ece|archive-date=22 May 2010|url-status=dead|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

== Utility services ==
Potable water is supplied by the [[Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation|MCGM]] to Dharavi and the whole of Mumbai. However, a large amount of water is lost due to water thefts, illegal connection and leakage.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Now, a toll-free helpline to check water leakage, theft – Indian Express|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/now-a-tollfree-helpline-to-check-water-lea/531630/|website=Indian Express|access-date=8 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904001826/http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/now-a-tollfree-helpline-to-check-water-lea/531630/|archive-date=4 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The community also has a number of water wells that are sources of non-potable water.{{fact|date=June 2025}}

Cooking gas is supplied in the form of [[Liquefied petroleum gas|liquefied petroleum gas cylinders]] sold by state-owned oil companies,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-cooking-gas-cylinders-to-be-sold-at-petrol-pumps-1865090|title=Cooking gas cylinders to be sold at petrol pumps|date=24 July 2013|work=Daily News and Analysis.|access-date=8 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615204630/http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-cooking-gas-cylinders-to-be-sold-at-petrol-pumps-1865090|archive-date=15 June 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> as well as through [[Natural gas|piped natural gas]] supplied by Mahanagar Gas Limited.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-piped-gas-becomes-more-attractive-for-the-kitchen-1740662|title=Piped gas becomes more attractive for the kitchen|date=14 September 2012|work=Daily News and Analysis|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615203513/http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-piped-gas-becomes-more-attractive-for-the-kitchen-1740662|archive-date=15 June 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

There are settlement houses that still do not have legal connections to the utility service and thus rely on illegal connection to the water and power supply which means a water and power shortage for the residents in Dharavi.{{fact|date=June 2025}}

===Sanitation issues===
[[File:Dharavi Slum in Mumbai.jpg|thumb|Inside Dharavi]]
[[File:Mumbai 03-2016 49 Dharavi near Mahim Junction.jpg|thumb|Mosque in Dharavi]]
Dharavi has severe problems with public health. Water access derives from public standpipes stationed throughout the slum. Additionally, with the limited lavatories they have, they are extremely filthy and broken down to the point of being unsafe. Mahim Creek is a local river that is widely used by local residents for urination and defecation causing the spread of contagious diseases.<ref name="natgeo" /> The open sewers in the city drain to the creek causing a spike in water pollutants, septic conditions, and foul odours. Due to the air pollutants, diseases such as lung cancer, tuberculosis, and asthma are common among residents. There are government proposals in regards to improving Dharavi's sanitation issues. The residents have a section where they wash their clothes in water that people defecate in. This spreads the amount of disease as doctors have to deal with over 4,000 cases of typhoid a day. In a 2006 Human Development Report by the UN, they estimated there was an average of 1 toilet for every 1,440 people.<ref>{{Cite report |date=2006 |title=Human Development Report 2006|url=http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/reports/267/hdr06-complete.pdf |access-date=17 July 2020 |publisher=United Nations Development Programme}}</ref>

==Epidemics and other disasters==
Dharavi has experienced a long history of epidemics and natural disasters, sometimes with significant loss of lives. The first plague to devastate Dharavi, along with other settlements of Mumbai, happened in 1896, when nearly half of the population died. A series of plagues and other epidemics continued to affect Dharavi, and Mumbai in general, for the next 25 years, with high rates of mortality.<ref>Gandy, M. (2008), "Landscapes of disaster: water, modernity, and urban fragmentation in Mumbai." ''Environment and Planning''. A, 40(1), 108</ref><ref>Renapurkar, D. M. (1988). "Distribution and Susceptibility of Xenopsylla astia to DDT in Maharashtra State, India." ''International Journal of Tropical Insect Science'', 9(03), 377–380</ref> [[Dysentery]] epidemics have been common throughout the years and explained by the high population density of Dharavi. Other reported epidemics include [[Typhoid fever|typhoid]], [[cholera]], [[leprosy]], [[amoebiasis]] and [[polio]].<ref name="Swaminathan, M. 1995"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Anjali |date=2013-09-12 |title=India Restarts Battle Against Leprosy |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/12/india-restarts-battle-against-leprosy/ |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=India Ink |language=en}}</ref> For example, in 1986, a cholera epidemic was reported, where most patients were children of Dharavi. Typical patients to arrive in hospitals were in late and critical care condition, and the mortality rates were abnormally high.<ref>Mehta et al., "An outbreak of cholera in children of Bombay slums," ''Journal of Diarrhoeal Diseases Research'', 4 June(2): page 94</ref> In recent years, cases of drug resistant [[tuberculosis]] have been reported in Dharavi.<ref>Udwadia, Z. F., Pinto, L. M., & Uplekar, M. W. (2010). "Tuberculosis management by private practitioners in Mumbai, India: has anything changed in two decades?" ''PLoS One'', 5(8), e12023</ref><ref>Loewenberg, S. (2012), "India reports cases of totally drug-resistant tuberculosis," ''The Lancet'', 379(9812), 205</ref>

Fires and other disasters are common. For example, in January 2013, a fire destroyed many slum properties and caused injuries.<ref>[http://www.indianexpress.com/news/dharavi-turns-into-fireball-as-flames-engulf-slum/1063044/ Dharavi turns into fireball as flames engulf slum] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130125011615/http://www.indianexpress.com/news/dharavi-turns-into-fireball-as-flames-engulf-slum/1063044 |date=25 January 2013}} ''Indian Express'' (22 January 2013)</ref> In 2005, massive floods caused deaths and extensive property damage.<ref>Samaddar, S., Misra, B. A., Chatterjee, R., & Tatano, H. (2012). [http://idrim.ir/index.php/idrim/article/viewFile/38/pdf_11 Understanding Community’s Evacuation Intention Development Process in a Flood Prone Micro-hotspot]{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}, Mumbai. ''IDRiM Journal'', 2(2)</ref>

The [[COVID-19 pandemic]] also affected the slum. The first case was reported in April 2020.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Joshi |first1=Sahil |title=First coronavirus case reported from Mumbai's Dharavi slum |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/first-coronavirus-positive-case-reported-from-dharavi-in-mumbai-1662265-2020-04-01 |website=India Today |access-date=3 April 2020 |date=1 April 2020}}</ref>

==In the media==
{{Blockquote
 |quote  = From the main road leading through Dharavi, the place makes a desperate impression. However, once having entered the narrow lanes Dharavi proves that the prejudice of slums as dirty, underdeveloped, and criminal places does not fit real living conditions. Sure, communal sanitation blocks that are mostly in a miserable condition and overcrowded space do not comfort the living. Inside the huts, it is, however, very clean, and some huts share some elements of beauty. Nice curtains at the windows and balconies covered by flowers and plants indicate that people try to arrange their homes as cosy and comfortable as possible.
 |source = Denis Gruber et al. (2005)<ref>Denis Gruber, Andrea Kirschner, Sandra Mill, Manuela Schach, Steffen Schmekel, and Hardo Seligman, "Living and Working in Slums of Mumbai," Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, Institut für Soziologie, Magdeburg, Germany, {{ISSN|1615-8229}} (April 2005)</ref>
}}
In the West, Dharavi was most notably used as the backdrop in the British film ''[[Slumdog Millionaire]]'' (2008).<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Mendes|first=Ana Cristina|date=2010|title=Showcasing India Unshining: Film Tourism in Danny Boyle'sSlumdog Millionaire|journal=Third Text|language=en|volume=24|issue=4|pages=471–479|doi=10.1080/09528822.2010.491379|s2cid=145021606|issn=0952-8822}}</ref> It has also been depicted in a number of Indian films, including ''[[Deewaar]]'' (1975), ''[[Nayakan]]'' (1987), ''[[Salaam Bombay!]]'' (1988), ''[[Parinda]]'' (1989), ''[[Dharavi (film)|Dharavi]]'' (1991), ''[[Bombay (1995 film)|Bombay]]'' (1995), [[Ram Gopal Varma]]'s "[[Ram Gopal Varma#Indian gangster trilogy|Indian Gangster Trilogy]]" (1998–2005), the ''[[Sarkar (2005 film)|Sarkar]]'' series (2005–2017), ''[[Footpath (2003 film)|Footpath]]'' (2003), ''[[Black Friday (2004 film)|Black Friday]]'' (2004), ''[[Mumbai Xpress]]'' (2005), ''[[No Smoking (2007 film)|No Smoking]]'' (2007), ''[[Traffic Signal (film)|Traffic Signal]]'' (2007), ''[[Aamir (film)|Aamir]]'' (2008), ''[[Mankatha]]'' (2011), ''[[Thalaivaa]]'' (2013), ''[[Bhoothnath Returns]]'' (2014), ''[[Kaala (2018 film)|Kaala]]'' (2018) and ''[[Gully Boy]]'' (2019).

''Dharavi, Slum for Sale'' (2009) by Lutz Konermann and Rob Appleby is a German [[Documentary film|documentary]].<ref>{{IMDb title|1188984|qid=Q22138197|title=Dharavi, Slum for Sale}}</ref> In a programme aired in the United Kingdom in January 2010, [[Kevin McCloud]] and Channel 4 aired a two-part series titled ''Slumming It''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.channel4.com/4homes/on-tv/kevin-mccloud-slumming-it/kevin-mccloud-slumming-it-episode-two-10-01-06_p_1.html |title=Slumming It: Dharavi |publisher=Channel 4 |access-date=8 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100118083854/http://www.channel4.com/4homes/on-tv/kevin-mccloud-slumming-it/kevin-mccloud-slumming-it-episode-two-10-01-06_p_1.html |archive-date=18 January 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> which centered around Dharavi and its inhabitants. The poem "[[Blessing (poem)|Blessing]]" by [[Imtiaz Dharker]] is about Dharavi not having enough water. ''[[For The Win]]'', by [[Cory Doctorow]], is partially set in Dharavi. In 2014, Belgian researcher Katrien Vankrunkelsven made a 22-minute film on Dharavi which is entitled ''The Way of Dharavi''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_0X0wIvqVM|title=Documentary – The Way Of Dharavi 2014|last=Sse Productions bvba|date=3 April 2015|access-date=30 April 2017|via=YouTube|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161017233205/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_0X0wIvqVM|archive-date=17 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Hitman 2 (2018 video game)|Hitman 2]], a video game released in 2018, featured the slums of Mumbai in one of its missions.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-07-19|title=Hitman 2: 10 Things To Do In Mumbai That The Game Doesn't Tell You About|url=https://www.thegamer.com/hitman-2-mumbai-activities-secret/|access-date=2021-09-18|website=TheGamer|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=HITMAN™ 2 - Mumbai on Steam|url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/950559/HITMAN2__Mumbai/|access-date=2021-09-18|website=store.steampowered.com|language=en}}</ref>
The Mumbai based video game Mumbai Gullies is expected to feature the slums of Dharavi in the fictional map.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-27|title=WHAT IS MUMBAI GULLIES?|url=https://gameeon.in/what-is-mumbai-gullies/|access-date=2021-09-18|website=GameEon|language=en-US|archive-date=5 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405214702/https://gameeon.in/what-is-mumbai-gullies/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=January 2021|first=Bodhisatwa Ray 19|date=2021-01-19|title=Mumbai Gullies, a GTA styled game from an Indian developer, set to launch soon|url=https://www.techradar.com/news/mumbai-gullies-a-gta-styled-game-from-an-indian-developer-set-to-launch-soon|access-date=2021-09-18|website=TechRadar|language=en}}</ref>{{Update inline|date=September 2024}}

==See also==
* [[Poverty in India]]
* [[List of slums in India]]
* [[Urbanisation in India]]
{{clear}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
*Dharavi: Documenting Informalities. Practical Action June 2018. Jonatan Habib Engqvist and Maria Lantz. {{ISBN|978-1853397103}}

==Further reading==
* Sharma, Kalpana; "Rediscovering Dharavi: Story From Asia's Largest Slum" (2000) – Penguin Books {{ISBN|0-14-100023-6}}
* [https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/world/06/dharavi_slum/html/dharavi_slum_intro.stm "Life in a Slum" – BBC News]
* {{Cite news |url=http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0705/feature3/ |title=Dharavi Mumbai's Shadow City |first=Mark |last=Jacobson |work=[[National Geographic (magazine)|National Geographic]] |date=May 2007 |access-date=30 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121103109/http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0705/feature3/ |archive-date=21 November 2008 |url-status=dead |author-link=The Lampshade: A Holocaust Detective Story from Buchenwald to New Orleans}}
* [http://economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10311293 "Urban poverty in India: A flourishing slum"] and [http://economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10311257 "Recycling: A soul-searching business"], ''[[The Economist]]'', 19 December 2007
* [http://www.livemint.com/dharavi.htm Everyone Wants a Slice of the Dharavi Pie – Live Mint]
* [https://www.tabloidxo.com/dharavi-mumbai.jsp Facts About Asia's Largest Slum, Dharavi, Mumbai - TabloidXO]

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Dharavi&params=19_02_16_N_72_51_13_E_type:city_region:IN-MH GeoHack - Dharavi]

{{Mumbai topics}}
{{Mumbai metropolitan area}}

[[Category:Neighbourhoods in Mumbai]]
[[Category:Slums of Mumbai]]
[[Category:Squatting in India]]