Slums and Squatter Settlements:

Slums and Squatter Settlements:
The natural sequel of unchecked, unplanned and haphazard growth of urban areas is the growth and spread of slums and squatter settlements which present a striking feature in the ecological structure of Indian cities, especially of metropolitan centres. The rapid urbanisation in conjunction with industrialisation has resulted in the growth of slums. The proliferation of slums occurs due to many factors, such as, the shortage of developed land for housing, the high prices of land beyond the reach of urban poor, a large influx of rural migrants to the cities in search of jobs etc.
Dharavi was an arm of the sea that was filled by waste, largely produced by the people who have come to live there. The other cities with over 40 per cent slum population to the total population (Municipal Corporation) are Faridabad and Meerut. Kolkata, Nagpur and Thane have about one-third of their population as slum population.