Dharavi beyond the slum: Inside Mumbai's informal economy

The epicentre of Mumbai’s dizzying economic growth doesn’t lie behind glass facades of skyscrapers, but in a run-down neighborhood of Mumbai. The people here might not be your suit-clad businessmen, but are owners of multi-million dollar companies. These are the people of Dharavi – One of Asia’s largest slums. In spite of the all the grunginess and squalor, Dharavi is the most bustling and economically proficient part of Mumbai, generating revenue of a staggering billion US Dollars annually. An erstwhile marshy fishing village, Dharavi creek dried up when a dam was built in the neighbouring area. As years rolled on, communities thrived economically, which is seen even today in the labyrinth of leather goods, embroidered dresses and clay pots of various designs, among others cottage industries. Also tour the cardboard industries and the recycle industry to understand the indispensable contribution of Dharavi to Mumbai’s ecological well-being.