Mumbai: The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) has identified 2,470 slum clusters spread over 9,864.89 acres across the city this year. When compared to the last documentation, the figures have come down as more than 3,293 clusters were identified during the GIS (Geographic Information System) mapping done by the authority in 2015. The SRA officials said the figures were down as gaothans were eliminated from the slum category. According to the figures, K/E (Andheri east) has the highest number of slum clusters at 281.
“This year we have eliminated the gaothans from the list of slum dwellings, thus the figures have come down significantly. The figures which are declared may keep changing since now we have decided to break down the large slum clusters in parts,” said an SRA official in-charge of the GIS mapping of slums.
In August this year, the SRA deleted all the Gaothans and Koliwadas after studying the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s development plan wherein they were marked as Urban Villages. In 2015, the authority had carried out GIS mapping of all the slums across the city for the first time. This year’s mapping was completed recently; the information will be uploaded online by the authority for citizens as well as developers.
Newly appointed SRA chief Deepak Kapoor took to Twitter on Wednesday to announce the completion of mapping and wrote, “Sheer hard work yields results. SRA’s full GIS mapping of slums complete. Big help to slum dwellers and also architects.”
As per the new records, there are 281 slums clusters in K/East ward (Andheri east) spread as against 332 clusters recorded in the 2015 survey. This is followed by L ward (Kurla) with 221 clusters and P/North ward (Malad) with 213 clusters. Meanwhile, the density of clusters was found to be less in the A ward (Churchgate, Marine Lines, Colaba) at only 5 clusters. In addition to this, Dharavi, which is known as Asia’s largest slum, has only 69 slum clusters.
New methodology
- The SRA officials said the figures were down as gaothans were eliminated from the slum category.
- K/E (Andheri east) has the highest number of slum clusters at 281.
- L ward (Kurla) had 221 clusters and P/North ward (Malad) had 213.
- Dharavi was found to have only 69 slum clusters.
