Urban Landuse in LEDC’s
Task 1:
Complete the Comparing Landuse Models worksheet. In doing so you will understand the differences between the two models. Can you explain the differences
- How does the landuse differ?
- Why is there a difference?
Introducing Mumbai: Comparing the landuse models
The LEDC land use model has some similarities to Burgess and or Hoyt. The CBD is found in the centre of the urban area, just like Burgess and Hoyt. Factories are also built along major transport routes like Hoyt.
However, when it comes to housing, there are significant differences. The high quality housing tends to be located near the CBD and will be either apartments or old colonial houses. The richer people want to live near the centre because that is normally where the best entertainment is and the best jobs are. As well as the high quality apartments near the centre, richer neighbourhoods will also develop that have good quality housing and good entertainment. In Mumbai this might include areas like Malabar Hill, Altamount Road and Pali Hill. (source https://marathon.in/location-mmr/top-13-posh-areas-in-mumbai/)
Slightly further out you get poor, but permanent housing. On the edge though where in Burgess and also Hoyt you found a lot of nice housing you find poor informal settlements built on marginal land. The informal housing has been built by migrants moving from rural areas to urban areas.
Industry tends to be focused on the main transport routes (roads and railways). There will not be much high quality housing near industry because richer residents don’t want to live near polluting factories. However, there will be more poorer housing and informal settlements because the people can’t afford to live anywhere else and often work in the nearby factories.
Task 2: The Growth of Mumbai
Dharavi: A slum in the heart of Mumbai
Dharavi, is by no means the biggest slum in the world, in fact there are bigger ones around Mumbai. However it is still an excellent example of how a slum has developed and how the people who live there have made it their home
Dharavi, Mumbai, India
Why do people come to Dharavi? A Case Study of Rural to Urban Migration.
Rural to Urban Migration
Task 3:
Use the Lee’s model worksheet and the information below to explain the rural to urban migration that has lead to Dharavi’s population growth. Make sure you include specific place names and examples.
Mumbai is considered as a mega city as it has nearly 20 million residents. Most of this population comprises of migrants from across India. Primarily from the northern state of Bihar. About 75% of the migrants come from rural areas. India being an LEDC, there are very few urban areas and due to the poor agricultural conditions in rural India most of the migrants in Mumbai immigrate to gain better economic benefits. Mumbai is also the financial capital of India and this makes it an even more attractive place for the rural migrants. (source)
Why do Indians migrate to cities in such large numbers?
Large numbers of young people are migrating because rural India is saturated and cannot provide employment opportunities for a growing population. Many end up as rag pickers or casual construction workers. They come alone and then bring their relatives or friends. It is a chain migration.
Most women migrants have migrated after marriage. In north India, women are not supposed to marry a man from the same village. So invariably marriage means migration.
Joining family members is the third reason. First, the husband gets employment and settles. Then, if he can get a decent house, he brings his family. Finally, migration for education also takes place.
Why aren’t there enough jobs in rural areas?
Youngsters are not able to get enough land to cultivate. Unlike in European countries, where only the eldest inherits property, here all children get a share in their father’s property. That leads to division of landholdings. Many landholdings have become so small that they are uneconomical.
There are not many other employment opportunities in rural areas so that leads to migration, not just to urban areas but also from less agriculturally developed states like Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan to ‘Green Revolution’ agricultural areas like western Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
Rural-urban migration is the movement of people from the countryside towards the cities. Rural-urban migration is the many cause of urbanisation. It is caused by a combination of push and pull factors. Some of the main push and pull factors are listed below.
| PUSH FACTORS FROM COUNTRYSIDE (RURAL AREAS) | PULL FACTORS TO CITIES (URBAN AREAS) |
| No jobs or poorly paid jobs Mechanisation. Machines taking the jobs of people Low prices for agricultural products Poor schools and hospitals Shortage of entertainment Poor quality of housing Drought and famine Shortages of water, electricity and gas Poor transport and communications | More jobs Better education and medical care Better transport and communications More reliable supply of water, electricity and gas. Better entertainment More houses and better quality houses |
In reality most people don’t experience all the push factors they expect and most actually end up living in poverty in informal settlements on marginal land on the edge of the city.
Exam Question:
- Suggest why many people living in rural areas in developing countries made the decision to migrate to urban settlements such as Mumbai. [5]
What is Dharavi Like: A guided tour
Task 4: A guided tour of Dharavi
Believe it or not, you can go on a tour of Dharavi and you have just got a job with the tour company. Your job is to use the photographs and other information below to produce a guide to Dharavi.
Your guide should include the following information.
- The location of Dharavi Some basic facts about Dharavi (size, population, approximate population density)
- A short history of the Dharavi area
- Where have the people of Dharavi come from. Which rural areas of India have they migrated from.
- What life is like in Dharavi? (Homes, sanitation and other services, industry, jobs, schools, way of life)
What should my guide look like?
How you make your guide is up to you. It can be a simple booklet, a poster, a video, an audio guide or even a website. Do whatever you feel most comfortable doing. Make it visual, include maps, photos and/or video. Be creative.
Resources:
Use the following resources to create your tour guide.
- This is an excellent page of information on Dharavi. Make sure you read it!
- This is a YouTube playlist on Mumbai and Dharavi. You can get all the information you need from these videos. Some of you may want to edit clips from these together to make your guide.
Exam Question:
- In many LEDCs squatter settlements have grown up. For a named example of an LEDC city, describe the main features of one of its squatter settlements. (7)
Task 5: The Future of Dharavi: Redevelopment
Use the resources below to complete the “Redevelopment of Dharavi Note Taking Frame.”
- Why do the Indian Government want to redevelop Dharavi and how they plan to do this?
- Why many of the residents of Dharavi are opposed to the redevelopment
- What could be done to help the residents of Dharavi?
Use the information from this page to describe how Dharavi can be better managed and improved.
Task 6: Summary
Complete the summary task below. If you do it online then copy and paste the completed text into your notes.
Exam Question:
- Describe what has been done to improve the quality of life in squatter settlements in developing countries. You may refer to examples which you have studied to illustrate your answer. (7)
Further Reading and Research
- Read this excellent summary of the growth of Mumbai mumbai_megacity.pdf
- You may wish to do further research to find out more.
- India – The Real Slumdog Story BBC Radio 4’s Crossing Continents on Dharavi was broadcast on Thursday, 14 August, 2008.