Mumbai

Question 1

about Mumbai

Answer 1

• megacity on the west coast of India
• population of 21.6 million
• commercial capital and global financial hub
• major port on the Indian Ocean
• home to Bollywood movie industry
• growing rapidly due to in-migration and natural population growth
• migrants have moved from rural areas to Mumbai in search of jobs
• rapid urbanisation has created a number of social and economic issues

Question 2

social and economic issues as a result of urbanisation

Answer 2

• over half of the population live in slums e.g. dharavi
• over a quarter of India’s millionaires live in Mumbai, close to its CBD
• inequalities in education - literacy rate in the slums is only 60% compared to 90% in the city as a whole
• few opportunities for women in slums - some women resort to prostitution
• outbreaks of disease in slums
• infant mortality rate is relatively high - 26 deaths per 1000

Question 3

Mumbai is at risk of flooding

Answer 3

• India has a monsoon climate - a long dry season followed by a period of intense rainfall
• Mumbai has one of the highest amounts of annual precipitation in India
• five rivers flow through Mumbai - it has little room to expand so many new developments are built on floodplains
• Mumbai experiences tropical storms

Question 4

Mumbai is vulnerable to tectonic hazards

Answer 4

• it’s located in a seismically active area so is at risk from earthquakes
• earthquakes can cause tsunamis - Mumbai is low-lying so a tsunami could cause extreme damage
• slums are more vulnerable to natural disasters as they have poorly constructed houses and are often built on floodplains

Question 5

current conditions in Mumbai

Answer 5

• slums lack sanitation, contaminating water - contributes to the spread of illness and reduces local fish populations
• Mumbai’s water supply is dependent on the monsoon rains - as the population increases, the water demand increases
• around 450 more vehicles on roads everyday, contributing to air pollution
• increased amounts of waste

Question 6

efforts to make Mumbai more sustainable

Answer 6

• 2004 - redevelopment project to clear the dharavi slum and create a new independent township - some residents of dharavi object as they don’t want to lose the community
• rainwater harvesting systems to increase water security made compulsory on buildings - however, since 2007 only half of the eligible buildings have installed these
• public transport system is being upgraded to improve air quality - in 2011 the world bank provided $1 billion
• Clean-Up Mumbai Campaign - clearing litter, educating local residents on how to dispose of waste sustainably