Mumbai, the question of participation in the process of their own relocation.

[ Aurelia Savery, 2005 , saveryaure@gmail.com]
In Mumbai, the process of relocating people mostly concerns the part of slum dwellers located in the centre of Mumbai. Slums are turned into multi-storeys buildings. But are the slum dwellers being involved in the process of their own relocation?
The concept of participation is provided by the organisation of slum dwellers communities in cooperatives or societies which are headed by leaders. This is more a theoretical aspect of the participation, the reality is more complex. Some people agree to shift to a better accommodation and get basic amenities. But another part of the inhabitants seems to give up and follow the crowd even if they are against the relocation.
In reality the participation has to face and solve a lot of social problems. The main problem is corruption of the leaders. Even though the SRS scheme provides facilities for slum dwellers and a new accommodation for free, it also gives fewer advantages for inhabitants and more economic profit for private builders. The buildings are built to maximise the number of tenants which in return compromises the quality of space. Sometimes the units are as small as 17sqm per family.