Mumbai Has 2 Lakh Vacant Houses, Then What Explains the Slums?

Land of a Billion

Two out of every five people in Mumbai live in slums today. The sight of large clusters of blue tarped sheets over tinned walls is one that Indians are largely familiar with, just as we are familiar with the stories of slum residents’ vulnerability to fires, forced evictions, and even the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
Why do we have such a large population of Mumbai living in slums, even though Mumbai has over 2 lakh houses lying vacant? How does the government cope with the dilemma of condoning illegal squatters while also having the mandate to provide welfare for the poor?
In episode 1 of Land of a Billion, we look at Mumbai’s housing crisis as we speak with Prithviraj Chavan, former Chief Minister of Maharashtra and a current member of Legislative Assembly, and Dr Amita Bhide, Professor and Dean of School of Habitat Studies, Centre for Environmental Health, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai.
Tune in now!
Host: Abhishek Shah
Music: Big Bang Fuzz