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Across several weeks, intimidating phone calls continued. Initially, reportedly from a former police officer and a former defense officer, subsequently from the police themselves. Ultimately, Mohammad Khurshid Shaikh asserts he was ordered to the police station and warned explicitly: remain silent or face serious consequences.

The leather artisan is part of a group opposing a high-value initiative where this historic settlement – a massive informal community with rich history – faces demolished and redeveloped by a multinational conglomerate.

"The culture of this area is unparalleled in the world," says Shaikh. "Yet their intention is to eradicate our social fabric and silence our voices."

Opposing Environments

The narrow alleys of this community sit in stark contrast to the towering buildings and elite residences that dominate the settlement. Homes are constructed informally and frequently missing basic amenities, informal businesses produce dangerous fumes and the environment is permeated by the suffocating smell of open sewers.

For certain residents, the vision of Dharavi transformed into a glistening neighborhood of luxury high-rises, well-maintained green spaces, contemporary malls and homes with multiple bathrooms is an aspirational dream come true.

"We lack sufficient health services, paved pathways or sewage systems and we have no places for kids to enjoy," explains A Selvin Nadar, fifty-six, who relocated from his home state in 1982. "The sole solution is to tear it all down and provide modern residences."

Community Resistance

However, some, such as this protester, are opposing the redevelopment.

Everyone acknowledges that Dharavi, consistently overlooked as unauthorized settlement, is urgently needing investment and development. However they worry that this project – without resident participation – is one that will turn premium city property into an elite enclave, evicting the disadvantaged, working-class residents who have lived there since generations ago.

It was these excluded, migrant workers who built up the empty marshland into an extensively researched phenomenon of self-reliance and economic productivity, whose production is estimated at between one million dollars and $2m annually, making it one of the world's largest informal economies.

Resettlement Issues

Of the roughly 1 million people living in the dense sprawling area, fewer than half will be qualified for alternative accommodation in the redevelopment, which is estimated to take an extended timeframe to accomplish. The remainder will be relocated to undeveloped zones and saline fields on the remote edges of the city, potentially break up a historic neighborhood. Certain individuals will be denied homes at all.

Those allowed to remain in the neighborhood will be allocated apartments in tower blocks, a significant rupture from the organic, collective approach of living and working that has maintained the community for so long.

Commercial activities from garment work to pottery and material recovery are likely to reduce in scale and be transferred to a specific "business area" far from residential areas.

Existential Threat

For residents like the leather artisan, a craftsman and long-time of his family to call home this community, the redevelopment presents a survival challenge. His rickety, multi-level facility creates garments – tailored coats, suede trenches, studded bomber jackets – marketed in high-end shops in the city's affluent areas and internationally.

Household members lives in the spaces downstairs and laborers and sewers – migrants from other states – live in the same building, enabling him to afford their labour. Away from the slum, accommodation prices are often 10 times as high for a single room.

Pressure and Coercion

At the official facilities nearby, an illustrated mock-up of the transformation initiative depicts a contrasting perspective. Slickly dressed residents move around on bicycles and e-vehicles, buying continental bread and breakfast items and socializing on a patio outside a coffee shop and treat station. This depicts a complete departure from the affordable idli sambar breakfast and budget beverage that maintains Dharavi's community.

"This isn't improvement for us," says the artisan. "This constitutes a massive real estate deal that will render it impossible for our community to continue."

Furthermore, there's distrust of the business conglomerate. Run by a prominent businessman – one of India's most powerful and a supporter of the government head – the conglomerate has faced accusations of crony capitalism and financial impropriety, which it rejects.

Although administrative bodies labels it a partnership, the corporation invested nearly a billion dollars for its 80% stake. A case stating that the initiative was improperly granted to the business group is being considered in India's supreme court.

Ongoing Pressure

After they started to vocally oppose the project, protesters and community members claim they have been experienced ongoing efforts of harassment and intimidation – comprising phone calls, direct threats and implications that speaking against the initiative was comparable with opposing national interests – by people they assert work for the business conglomerate.

Part of the group accused of delivering warnings is {a retired police officer|a former law enforcement official|an ex-c