Urban Housing for the Poor still a Contested Right: Case Reflections from Mumbai

Abstract

It appears though surprisingly that on average, in Mumbai, a squatter will be relocated at least twenty times in his lifetime. especially in Mumbai, this means that Each time, the squatter needs to move out with his family and all his belongings. In some cases, this relocation entails slum redevelopment; in others, it involves invoking violence through court orders and evicting residents in the interests of large corporations or large-scale development projects. The right to housing seems a distant privilege under the Indian constitution. This study discusses the ongoing sagas of tenancy rights in urban India. Case studies of urban settlements that have run into difficulties with Slum Rehabilitation Authorities (SRAs), particularly movements led by housing associations, their struggles, and impediments amidst some successful outcomes. Our findings reveal that more work is required by SRAs, and public and private partnerships in Mumbai to counterbalance the removals and demolitions. Methodologically, the study is set in the tradition of interpretivist social construction. The authors also present a reflective analysis of a social worker’s role in the slums. The study argues that the poor will have a ‘fair go’ only when symptoms that prevent the poor in difficult social circum.