Slums now occupy nearly 24% of Mumbai’s land and house more than half of its population, according to findings by the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA).
The survey also found that approximately 58 hectares of collector or government land had been encroached upon over the past 14 years. Officials noted that the total encroached area across land owned by other authorities could be significantly higher, as reported by the Hindustan Times newspaper.
To map the extent of encroachments, the SRA used satellite imagery and GIS, comparing images from 2000 with GIS data from 2011 and 2025.
The data has been shared with the Mumbai city and suburban collectorates. Additionally, the data will also be shared with the Mumbai Civic Body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other land-owning authorities, including private landlords and central government establishments, the report said.
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Affected areas in the Mumbai real estate market
The SRA findings reveal that more than 8,000 square metres of mangroves behind the World Trade Centre at Cuffe Parade in South Mumbai were encroached upon between 2011 and 2025. In Mankhurd-Deonar, a nullah has been almost entirely taken over, with slum structures covering over 18,800 sqm.
Ganpat Nagar in Eksar has seen encroachments exceeding 22,000 sqm since 2011, while large patches in Malvani have also been occupied, according to the SRA findings.
The SRA findings reveal that areas covering patches such as Masjid Bunder, Dongri, and Bhendi Bazaar in south Mumbai have recorded the lowest percentage of slum encroachments since 2011, while suburban pockets such as Kurla, Deonar, Malvani, and Dahisar have seen a much higher rise.
Mumbai’s population and land size
According to data released by Knight Frank India in September 2025, Mumbai’s population is 13.4 million, and the city’s land area is 437 sq km, with a density of 30,600 per sq km.
All about the Slum Rehabilitation Authority
The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) is a government body responsible for implementing slum redevelopment projects in Maharashtra. Established in 1995, it enables private developers to provide free housing to slum dwellers while allowing them to build and sell additional apartments on the same land to recover project costs. Instead of rehabilitating slum dwellers, developers obtain additional construction rights, enabling them to build more flats to sell in the open market.
What are slums, and are they legal?
Slums in Mumbai are densely populated informal settlements where residents often lack secure housing tenure and basic services like sanitation, water, and drainage. They house a significant portion of the city’s population, providing affordable living close to jobs, and remain central to urban planning and redevelopment efforts.
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According to SRA rules, slums that arose before January 1, 2000, are eligible for free rehabilitation housing under the SRA scheme. However, slums built between January 1, 2000 and January 1, 2011, are protected from eviction but are eligible for rehabilitation on a construction cost payment basis, and slums that have come up after the 2011 cutoff are considered illegal and liable for action.