Economy

In addition to the traditional pottery and textile industries in Dharavi,[4], there is an increasingly large recycling industry, processing recyclable waste from other parts of Mumbai. Manufacturing is significant; the district has an estimated 15,000 single-room factories.[3]
An urban redevelopment plan is proposed for the Dharavi area, managed by American-trained architect Mukesh Mehta.[4] The plan involves the construction of 30 million square feet of housing, schools, parks and roads to serve the existing 57,000 families residing in the area, along with 40 million square feet of residential and commercial space for sale.[5] There has been significant local opposition to the plans, largely because existing residents are due to receive only 225 square feet (20.9 m²) of land each.[4][5] Furthermore, only those families who lived in the area before the year 2000 are slated for resettlement. Concerns have also been raised by residents who fear that some of their small businesses in the "informal" sector may not be relocated under the redevelopment plan. The government has said that it will only legalize and relocate industries that are not "polluting."