In pics | 1 million under lockdown in Dharavi - one of Asia's largest slums
Dharavi, believed to be one of Asia’s largest slum, is a tough place to be confined, and also one of the most vulnerable to the new coronavirus because of the density of its population and poor sanitation.
Around one million people live in one of Asia’s largest slum Dharavi. (Reuters)
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Residents are stretching out meals and relying on donations. But, anxiety has been building since the lockdown began on March 25. (Reuters)
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Dharavi, believed to be one of Asia’s largest slum, is a tough place to be confined, and also one of the most vulnerable to the new coronavirus because of the density of its population and poor sanitation. (Reuters)
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Hundreds of people sometimes share the same bathroom. Access to clean water is not guaranteed. Soap has become a luxury. (Reuters)
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A migrant worker living in Dharavi has said anything can happen. There are nine people in the room, all of them could be in danger. (Reuters)
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Dharavi has 138 reported cases so far, but experts fear that the number will accelerate higher. (Reuters)
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Anxious residents have tied handkerchiefs or shirt sleeves around their faces in lieu of proper masks. (Reuters)
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Still, many residents say it is impossible to stay confined in small rooms, which are sometimes shared by day labourers who work different shifts. (Reuters)
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One tailor opened his small shop early in the morning, saying he wanted to make a little money before police arrived later in the day to enforce the lockdown. (Reuters)
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Deep in the slums, people throng informal markets. Some adults kill time playing chess or watching videos on their cell phones. Children play cricket and cards. (Reuters)
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Some residents have barricaded alleyways using carts, bicycles and sticks. Signs warn outsiders to keep away. (Reuters)
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“I am really worried it is just a matter of time,” virologist Shahid Jameel said of Mumbai’s slums, which are home to an estimated 65 percent of the city’s core population of around 12 million.
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Officers have punished lockdown violators by making them sit in the sun, do squats or by hitting them with sticks. (Reuters)
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“It’s very difficult. No one listens to us,” said one police officer in Dharavi, adding that some bank employees shared special passes with friends so they could move around. (Reuters)
