Now here is this inequality more apparent than in Mumbai- the dream city of India. For decades an image of high rise posh buildings at the backdrop of a vast sea of tin roofed housing has been used to make an observer get a visual idea of the rampant inequality. This sea of tinned roof is Dharavi, one of the largest and perhaps the most talked about informal settlements in Asia. Mumbai may signify extreme urbanism, Dharavi signifies extreme survival. Dharavi, spread across 525 acres, and a key hub of informal economy .The entrepreneurial community thrives on the availability of cheap labor in the form of residents of Dharavi. Residents of Dharavi live in appalling conditions with a toilet to share between 1500 people, inadequate sewerage systems . Dharavi is its location over a prime piece of land in the peninsula city of Mumbai, a city that boasts of one of the highest real estate prices in India. Strategically located at the intersection of two main train lines, over-looking Bandra Kurla Complex, the financial and commercial center of Mumbai.

In order to set Mumbai on the path of becoming a ‘World Class City’, the Vision Mumbai document prepared by Bombay First and McKinsey articulated key aspirations in terms reducing the percentage slum population from 50%-60% to 20%-30% by increasing the stock of affordable housing (McKinsey 2003). This combined with the national vision of Slum Free Cities is what is driving the Dharavi Redevelopment Plan (DRP). Envisaged by architect Mukesh Mehta, DRP is a state-led public private partnership to redevelop Dharavi by providing free housing for eligible residents and providing essential infrastructure for improving their living conditions.