Jakarta – Dharavi crowned as one of the most slum areas in Asia. Meanwhile, Dharavi is located in Mumbai, India.
Dharavi is about 2.6 square kilometers in the center of Mumbai City, between the international airport and the affluent district of Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). BKC is home to foreign consulates, 5-star hotels, and the headquarters of multinational companies and banks.
There are 1 million residents in Dharavi, making it the most densely populated area in India. However, Dharavi is also the center of business activities.
Reporting from Al Jazeera, Tuesday (1/8/2023), there are around 12,000 MSMEs in Dharavi. This MSME is engaged in garment, pottery and recycling.
Dharavi, on the other hand, live close together, often as is, in 2 or 3-story buildings held together by corrugated sheet metal, wooden planks, and other scrap materials. The building, of course, stood without a permit and residents have struggled for legal recognition for decades.
Most of the houses in Dharavi do not have toilets. Therefore, they rely heavily on public toilets which are scattered in various places in the area.
Until 10 years ago, some residents still relieved themselves along the railroad tracks in the morning. Some of them are still very ashamed of their predicament because there is a scene in Slumdog Millionaire where a child defecates in a manure pit.
Until now, many travel companies have tried to erase this image by offering trips to the slum area of Dhavari to show that the area has a thriving economy and is home to hard workers and entrepreneurs.
“When I first visited Dhavari in October 2005, people outside Dhavari were very scared. My friends warned me that if I entered Dhavari, I couldn’t get out,” founder of Reality Tours and Travel, Krishna Pujari, told Al Jazeera.
“I see hardworking people who take pride in the fact that they support themselves with their talent and perseverance. I want to show that on the journey I’m making,” he said.
After decades of India’s independence from Britain in 1947, the government frequently demolished the slums that left residents without homes. Because there was no place to live, the slum city appeared again. Increasingly, residents are joining hands with union leaders and housing rights activists to plead with the government for sustainable solutions. The future of Dharavi finally received serious consideration by the government along with the establishment of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) in 1995.
In 2003, the Maharashtra State Government decided to develop Dharavi as an integrated city. However, this drew protests from residents because they were worried about the quality and size of the houses offered for regional development.
Various invitations for tenders were made year after year, but the project never materialized. There were 8 companies from India, the Middle East and South Korea who took part in the pre-bid meeting or before the bidding. After many failed startups over the decades, Adani Realty finally has this project on offer in November 2022.
(dna/dna)
2023-08-01 23:36:43
#Dharavi #Asias #Slum #Area
