Comments on: A Business-Friendly Plan For Mumbai Slum Resettlement?

By: ANK.

ANK. — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:34:06 +0000

I THING WE MUST THINK ABOUT THIS TOPIG DEEPLY

By: neeta

neeta — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:07:41 +0000

I am intrested to know whatever happened to this idea??? or plan !!! its been already 2 years this was posted

By: student

student — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 16:00:17 +0000

im a student studying this situation, and i think this feedback is really interesting. its quite cool seeing different people with different arguments about the subject. everyone has their own perspective which is really informative. anyways, i think the slum dwellers should be asked about their concerns… i dont think the builders should just do whatever they feel like with the high rises. its the least they can do since these people are driving the slum dwellers out of their homes… out of where they are comfortable and familiar.

By: Nanda Kishore

Nanda Kishore — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 05:05:23 +0000

...thanks to rampant corruption, an overly privatised economy and political manipulation of the 'poor' vote, the rest of some people's lives are just so totally shit in comparison that a piece of corrugated iron is IT.

An overly privatised economy? India? Tash, please don't get so worked up by all that anti-globalisation rhetoric.

On a side note, the views of some commentators here about upper caste, middle class or rich Indians are quite interesting, given that everyone spends so much time fighting stereotypes here.

By: ashvin

ashvin — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 02:58:13 +0000

Here's a great piece from public radio's "The World" about Bombay's slums: http://www.theworld.org/?q=node/6780

It covers the things discussed on this thread and more, including the problem of resettlement, the danger of creating high-rise/vertical slums (including a "consultant" on slum-resettlement who seems to know what he's talking about), and the successful efforts by slum dwellers (including Magsasay-winner Jockin Arputham -- hadn't heard of him before) to organize themselves into an effective political block and make themselves heard.

By: Jain Man

Jain Man — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 15:31:58 +0000

In the Indian context, most probably are. But since technophobicgeek's parents are educated, they should be able to get a decent deal. No matter what, it's the builders who are going to the bank, but that just has to be accepted.

Builders take massive risk, the payoff can quickly turn into a nightmare if the market turns. Big risk = big reward.

You still have a deep socialist mindset, reinforced by media and movies.

By: Amitabh

Amitabh — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 15:25:53 +0000

Get out of the socialist mindset, all builders are not swindlers.

By: Jain Man

Jain Man — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 15:01:08 +0000

Some, like my parents, want to stay on in the new 'towers', but are afraid of getting swindled by these powerful builders.

Your parents will probably get a new flat without any cost to them. Their old 20 lakh place is replaced by their new 30 lakh place. I don't know how they get 'swindled'. Maybe because they could not get a 40 lakh flat to replace their 20 lakh flat? Get out of the socialist mindset, all builders are not swindlers. Get out of the mindset of 'squeezing' everything out of anyone who is under your thumb. The new generation of capitalists in Mumbai are fast moving and progressive, your parents window of opportunity will not last for ever.

By: technophobicgeek

technophobicgeek — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 08:09:25 +0000

I grew up in a working-class housing co-op("colony" in Mumbai parlance) neighbourhood and my parents still live there. Located in suburban Mumbai, it was literally built over a swamp and was considered an outlying area forever.

However, in the last 5-6 years the area has seen some crazy-ass development. It all started with the building with this HUGE call center about 4 years ago. Then there were shopping malls, high-end stores and now, an American-style hypermarket. Lots of multinationals seem to have found this spacious marsh and are building offices here.

These, along with the announcement that the upcoming Mumbai metro system has a line literally with a stop in front of our apartment, has set the property prices in our area skyrocketing. Builders all over have lain eyes on our old (30+ yrs) colonies and trying to buy the residents out. Some, like my parents, want to stay on in the new 'towers', but are afraid of getting swindled by these powerful builders.

It will be interesting to see how this game plays out in this area in the next few years.

By: Dragant

Dragant — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 01:35:36 +0000

I think this is perfect and represents how India is moving from a socialist based economy to a capitalist based economy. Granted I do not know the tax structure in mumbai (do they even have property taxes), I do know that rich people spend money, which spurs the economy and it trickles down from there. As far as the slum dwellers are concerned, let them move somewhere else. Eventually like in all major cities, the poor are marginalized to the outskirts of the cities and must face greater commute times as well as lower standards of living.

The challenge for the politicians will be incorporating low-cost housing, i.e. slums, near high-rises so that the owners in the high-rises are not peeved when they cannot find workers such as maids, drivers, tailors etc.. to cater to their lifestyles.