The practice of slum tourism goes as far back as Victorian England and early 20th-century America, where elites would “slum” their way through the poorest neighbourhoods of London and New York.
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay the Dharavi redevelopment project being undertaken by the Adani Group while hearing a plea by UAE-based Seclink Technologies
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) drive to demolish the alleged illegal section of a mosque in Dharavi, which is considered Asia's largest slum, has been cancelled after huge numbers of locals gathered on the streets.
Tension erupted in Dharavi slum in Mumbai on Saturday after hundreds of Muslim residents gathered on a road and opposed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's plan to demolish an alleged illegal portion of a mosque.
Adani Group Founder and Chairman Gautam Adani on Tuesday mentioned the Dharavi Redevelopment Project during a speech in a Mumbai college and said it is not just about "urban renewal" but "restoring dignity to over one million residents of our country".
While Dharavi has witnessed a reduction in crimes compared to the era of organised crimes in the 1980s-90s, criminal activities in the slum area remain a concern, especially drug peddling. Even as the people of Dharavi grapple with the grim realities of the slums, the MVA politicians want to polish their politics by inciting the local people by various means.
The Mumbai police on Monday barricaded the area amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases from the locality. The policemen have maintained a strict vigil to check the movement of the people.