54% OF MUMBAI LIVE IN SLUM:- WORLD BANK

While there are conflicting views on whether slums will completely overtake Mumbai's landscape by 2025, as projected by the World Bank, the general consensus is that rehabilitation of slum-dwellers is the only feasible solution

More than half of Mumbai's population now lives in its slums, according to latest statistics from the World Bank (WB), one of the world's largest financial institutions. While almost 54% of the metro's inhabitants live in shanties, another 25-30% live in chawls and on footpaths, with just 10-15% living in apartment buildings, bungalows or high-rises. However, experts rubbish the claim that from being the slum capital of India, Mumbai is now set to become the slum capital of the world.

Projections are that in 20 years, due to factors like a halt in the city's controversial [LINK=/ http://www.hindu.com/2005/01/22/stories/2005012202221000.htm]slum demolition scheme[/LINK], unchecked migration into the city by people in search of jobs, antiquated housing laws and skyrocketing real estate prices, slums will overtake the Mumbai landscape. The WB estimates that 22.5 million people will be living in slums in Mumbai by 2025.