Published in IIPS Mumbai, ENVIS center, Volume 3, No. 2, June 2006

Migration and Slum in Mumbai: Part II

By: D. P. Singh

All over the cities in the world experience movement of people from rural and other urban areas to large cities from within country and also from other countries. It is also argued that people who move first time to cities mostly settle in slum areas due to costly housing and their low economic status which makes difficult to find place in non-slum areas. The present paper examines some of characteristics of slums people in terms of migration, reason for settlement in slums and environmental conditions of slum in Mumbai.

Migration to Mumbai

Does slum constitutes mainly of migrants to the city? When they came to the city and why they move to city? The data available from NSS 49^th round (1993) are used to understand migration to city among slum and non-slum dwellers. About 40 per cent of Mumbai population reported to have different place of last residence. Migrants in slums exceeded about 5 per cent higher than the non-slums (Table 1).

About 18.6 per cent reported to move to city during last five years while 15 per cent reported have moved between 5-9 years (Table 1). About 40 per cent of non-slum dwellers reported to live in the city for more than 20 years in comparison 23 per cent among slum dwellers.

About 41 per cent of migrants reported to move from the state while about 22 per cent last lived in state of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The south Indian migrants constituted about 14 per cent of total migrant population. The Gujarat migrants were observed about 14 per cent. An interesting difference is observed among migrant in slum and non-slum areas. The migrants hailing from UP and Bihar settled mostly in slum areas while migrants from Gujarat landed constituted more among slum dwellers while Gujarat migrants reported higher in non-slum dwellers. The Maharastra migrants represented at similar level among slum and non-slum dwellers.

Duration of residence and place of last residence

Duration of Residence migrants settled in slum and non-slum areas shows about 33.5 per cent of people reported less than 10 years followed by 26.9 per cent between 10 to 20 years and 23.3 per cent more than 20 years. In non-slum areas, it was observed that about 30.7 per cent reported to live in non-slum since 10 years, 38.5 per cent 10 to 20 years and 31.4 per cent more than 20 years.

Table 1: Estimated percentage distribution of Migrants, duration residence and place from where they come in Slum and Non-slum dwellers, NSS central 49^th round, 1993

Migration Details

Slum

Dwellers

Non-Slum

Dwellers

Total

Place of Last Residence Different

Yes

43.2

56.8

38.0

62.0

40.1

59.9

Duration of Residence

Less than one year

1-4 yr

5-9 yr

10-20 yr

20 + yr

3.7

13.3

15.0

44.7

23.3

4.2

15.6

14.9

24.8

40.5

4.0

14.6

14.9

33.5

33.0

Place of Last Residence

Maharashtra

Gujarat

UP+Bihar+MP

South India

Northern India

WB + Eastern India

Other Countries

42.5

4.0

35.5

13.1

2.1

1.2

1.7

39.5

21.7

11.2

14.8

6.9

2.6

3.2

40.9

13.9

21.9

14.1

4.8

2.0

2.5

During last 10 years a little higher percentage of migrants (about 5 to 10 per cent) from states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and other northern Indian states, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala reported to settle in slum areas than non-slum areas. While migrants from Maharashtra about 27 per cent reported to have come to city in the last 10 years (Table 2).

Table 2: Duration of Residence and Place of Migration in slum and non-slum areas


Place of Migration	Slum			Non-slum
Place of Migration	Duration of residence (in years)			Duration of residence (in years)
	0-9 yr	10-19 yr	20 + yr	0-9 yr	10-19 yr	20+yr
Maharashtra	27.2	31.4	41.4	27.8	39.1	33.1
Gujarat	31.0	18.0	51.0	22.9	25.9	51.2
UP+Bihar+MP	47.9	31.4	20.8	32.5	47.9	19.6
South India	37.3	30.5	32.2	32.4	35.3	32.3
Northern India	49.2	17.6	33.1	41.5	25.3	33.2
WB + Eastern India	55.2	12.8	32.0	53.2	21.9	24.9
Other Countries	28.2	24.0	47.8	26.9	34.5	38.6
Total	33.5	26.9	39.5	30.1	38.5	31.4

Graph 1 shows the distribution of migrants with duration less than 10 years according to the place of last residence. It may be clearly observed that in both slum and non-slum areas about one third of migrants (35 %) reported to have move from within the state of Maharashtra. The Highest percentage of migrants (39 %) in slum areas are from state of UP, Bihar and MP, 12.6 per cent from southern states and about 4.4 per cent from northern states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. The migrants to non-slum areas were from Maharashtra (35 %),

Gujarat (18.4 %), southern states (18.2 %) and UP& Bihar (14.6 %). It may be noted that migrants with less than 10 years of duration, about one third from UP, Bihar and MP settled in slums areas followed by 42.3 per cent of Maharashtra migrants and 28 to 33 per cent from other states. Migrants from Gujarat mostly settled in non slum areas (85.4 %). It may be due to economic condition of migrants as well from the rural and urban place of last residence.

Graph 1: Distribution of Migrants in slum and non-slum areas with less than 10 years duration

Origin of Migrants and Place of Settlement

Results presented in Table 3 clearly shows that migrant moving from rural areas nearly half of themsettled in slum areas while high percentage of migrant originating from urban areas are settled in non-slum areas (88 %). About 70 per cent of rural migrants from UP, Bihar and MP reported to live in slum while rural migrants from Gujarat reported about one fourth in slums. Migrants from urban Gujarat mostly settled in non-slum areas.

Table 3: Rural and Urban place of last residence and settlement area of Migrant during last 10 years

State(s)	Migrated from Rural Areas		Migrated from Urban Areas
	Slum	Non-Slum	Slum	Non-Slum
Maharashtra	51.70	48.30	12.71	87.29
Gujarat	23.93	76.07	1.82	98.18
UP + Bihar + MP	70.46	29.54	19.05	80.95
South India	34.55	65.45	29.27	70.73
Northern India	49.90	50.10	8.43	91.57
WB & Eastern Indian states	48.12	51.88		100.00
Total	51.70	48.30	12.15	87.85

Economic status of Slum and non-Slum Household

A proxi to income level is used as monthly per capita expenditure (MPCE) data in NSS. The average MPCE was found Rs. 423 among slum households and Rs. 683 among non-slum households. Graph 2 shows the economic status in slums and non-slum households by migration status of head of household.

The MPCE classes were clubbed into three groups to indicate lower, middle and higher income level for example, lower MPCE class comprise MPCE < Rs. 385, Middle class as MPCE between Rs. 385 to Rs. 700 and Higher class as MPCE above Rs. 700. Economic status based central sample of 49^th round (1993) in slum and non slum dwellers indicates that about 26 per cent of households fall in upper economic class while 24.4 per cent in lower economic class. The differences in economic class and type of settlement show clearly that about 37.6 per cent of non-slum dwellers belong to higher economic class in comparison to 7.3 per cent of slum dwellers. About 46.5 per cent of slum dwellers household reported to fall in lower and similar percentage in middle economic class than much lower

Graph 2: Economic status of slum and Non slum household percentage of non-slum dwellers

Why they moved to Slum areas

The people living in slum areas are not the only the migrants coming and settling in slums. The NSS data collected information from the households who stayed in the city and moved to slum. Graph 3 presents the reason for movement to slum areas. Independent accommodation was reported by 38 per cent of household followed by low/free rent by 19.5 per cent, proximity to work place by 22.2 per cent and others reasons by 20.1 per cent. In comparison to 2002, 58 per cent reported independent accommodation reason in 1993. In response to whether they tried to move out of slum, nearly 97 per cent reported that they did not try to move out of slum.

Graph 3: Reason to move to

Condition of slums of Mumbai:

In 49^th round NSS data, 59 slums were surveyed in Mumbai (estimated as number of slums as 5664) and in 58^th round 82 slums (estimated number of slums as 8800) were extracted from the National Sample Survey Central data. Based on estimated number of slums in Mumbai some of characteristics are presented below.

Ownership of Slum: In 2002, 31.8 per cent of slums were owned by private parties (42.6 in 1993), 33.7 percent by local bodies (25.6 in 1993), 5.6 by railway (2.4 in 1993) and 28.1 by others (29.6 in 1993). A less than one percent owned by airport.

Area Type: It was observed that about eighty per cent of slums are used for residential purpose in 1993 and 2002 survey. About 6.5 percent of slums reported as used for commercial purpose in 2002 (6.5 in 1993) and for industrial purpose 5.6 percent (2.5 in 1993). This shows that there is significant change has taken place during last 10 years in the use of slum areas which may be attributed to lot of small scale industries started in slum areas. There was significant change was noticed in other uses of slums from 1.2 per cent in 1993 to 7.6 per cent reported in 2002.

Water Logging: Due to topography of Mumbai a number of slums as well non-slums are prone to waterlogging problem during rainy season. About 38 per cent of slums were reported to vulnerable to waterlogged during monsoon in 1993 shows some improvement as 30 per cent slums had same problem in 2002. About 32 per cent of approach road reported to be affected due to waterlogging in 2002.

Electricity: About 98 per cent of slums reported to have access to electricity for household use (40.2 %) and street lights and household use (57. %). About 2 per cent slums reported not having electricity facility in comparison to 16 per cent slums in 1993 do not have electricity facility.

Type of Roads: About half of slums had pucca road within the slum while other half had katcha road. One third of road within slum and one fourth of approach road to slum remain water logged during monsoon.

Water Facility: All the slum had access to tap water facility.

Latrine Facility: Eighty six of slums reported to have septic tank/flush system (72 % in 1993). In 2002, about 4 per cent slums reported to other latrine facility mostly open field and 3 per cent do not have any facility.

Sewerage System: Seventy three per cent of slum had no underground sewerage facility in 1993 which has reduced to 60 per cent in 2002.

Drainage System and Garbage Disposal: About half of slums had open pucca drainage system (71 % in 1993). About 6 per cent slums do not have drainage facility. Ninety five per cent reported the arrangement of garbage disposal facility made by municipality. In 25 per cent slums collection of garbage was reported at least once in 3 to 7 days and in 74 per cent slums at least in two days.

Eighty-Ninety per cent of slums were have the access to motorable road, primary school and health facility within a distance of one-2 kilo meter

Association: About 45 per cent slums had association relating to cultural activities or improving the conditions of slums. Fifteen per cent of slum had both type of associations.

Opinion about Change in Slum conditions:

To understand the facility provided and the change in slum conditions and source of improvement in condition during last five years data are extracted from NSS central sample of 49^th round and 58^th round are presented in Table 5. The information was collected on the facilities such as road, water, latrine, sewerage, drainage and garbage disposal.

The opinion about road condition shows that in two-third of slums it has not improved and whatever improvement has occurred was mostly from the government.

About 32.7 per cent slum reported improvement in water supply during last five years in 2002. The improvement in water supply has reduced in comparison to number of slums reported in 1993 (41.4 %). The most of improvement was reported to be done by government.

The availability of latrine facility was reported to have improved in 42 per cent slums during last five years which was mostly attributed to government efforts and about 6 per cent to resident efforts. The improvement in the condition of sewerage, drainage system and garbage disposal in slums was less than one third of slums. The opinion of respondent show that in more than two-third of slums the condition has not improved. The local resident played import role in improving the environmental conditions of slums with government source. The achievement of Mumbai Municipal Corporation which looks after the road, water and garbage disposal in the city requires concentrated effort to improve these basic facilities instead of concentrating more on removal of slums.

Table 4: Percentage Distribution of Change in the Condition of Slum during last 5 year

Item	Change in condition
Item	Improved	Not-Improved	Deteriorated
Approach Road	30.9	65.4	3.8
Road Within	34.6 (31.6)	65.4 (68.4)	-
Water Supply	32.7 (41.4)	61.7 (57.4)	5.6 (1.2)
Latrine Facility	42.0 (14.7)	56.1 (81.6)	1.9 (3.7)
Sewerage	22.4 (12.1)	76.6 (85.4)	0.9 (2.5)
Drainage	29.9 (24.4)	69.2 (74.3)	0.9 (1.2)
Garbage Disposal	29.0 (26.7)	70.1 (73.3)	0.9 (-)

N.B.: Figure in brackets relates to 1993 sample. Percentages are based on estimated number of slums using the weight.

Source: Computed from NSSO central sample 58^th round (2002) and 49^th round (1993)

Sum Up:

The study shows that higher concentration of slum dwellers in the western and eastern suburbs of the Mumbai. The migration level among slum dwellers was observed at a little higher level than non-slum dwellers. A large percentage of migrant from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar live in slum areas compared to migrants from within the state. The poverty and unemployment were elicited as main reason for migration. The economic levels of slum households were lower and middle level than non-slum dwellers. The infrastructure facilities in the slums such as roads, water, toilet and sewerage were reported to have improved a little.

The unrealistic dream of changing Mumbai city into shanghai seems difficult due highest concentration of slum in the city. In the absence of proper plan for rehabilitation and improvement of slum condition is the major hurdle in changing the social and economic fabrics of Mumbai city. The large chunk of slum dwellers has contributed immensely in the economic progress of Mumbai city through providing sizeable work force for service and production sector. It is now high time for the public and private sector to make concrete plan for the welfare of slum dwellers in place of conducting regular slum demolition drive. The demolition of slums has not proved as a solution to make Mumbai slum free and it has spread in each and every corner of city. An aerial view of city proves that Mumbai stands as “slumbai”.

Bibliography

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