Mumbai....Spanning the spectrum

Let me start with a caveat...I have no particular interest in Mumbai. Its just that i was studying it as part of one project and now it seems to be one of the most diverse and heterogenous thing on Planet Earth. I was simply amazed. Take for example...South Mumbai or Town as people would like to call it as. Out of the 3.3 million odd people residing here, barely 0.25 have decent housing facilities and mind you, the parameters of decent housing do not include things like Antique furniture, a jacuzzi or stuff like that. Decent housing just means-anything which is not slums and neither dilapidated. Imagine just 0.25 million which is just approx 55000 housholds. Damn it, u say..but hold on...i aint finished yet... Mumbai is strange.....take a look around...a more probing, inquisitive look and beyond a beautiful facade or two you will find stretches and stretches of slums. What...did you say you dont spot them....could be possible...oh yes! i forgot to tell you that there are also thousands of buildings which are in dilapidated states (housing close to 2 Mn people), build ages ago, whose owners have given up the right to ownership and possession and a significant portion of them are actually hazardous... Aint we talking of the same Mumbai, where riches abound...where irrespective of how high we go, there are always dozens and dozens of rungs above us with innumerable people thereon....Just imagine...Next...one thing to ask for is whats in store for the City in future. My personal opinion is that though the potential to grow is immense, the pace of development will be at snail speed; why??? let me explain.. Lets begin with the basic question...Why is the city in the state, in which it is?There are 2 very basic reasons: 1. The inability of the city to expand either westwards or southwards and also pretty limited growth eastwards. 2. Mill and Slum lands Since the first part is something about which practically little can be done, lets focus on the second one..Looking deeper at the second issue, I now enumerate the basic stakeholders in the mills and slum lands and understand why they aint really gung-ho abt the whole thing. 1. Residents of those mills/slums: They wont give in easily to moving out....Its very simple...moving out is certain...but as far as moving back in is concerned, when and where and whether you will relocated at all is always something in future and hence intrinsically uncertain. 2. Government: Given that the % of ppl in these places is very large, do you think that any government (esp when they are so populist of late), will ever tinker with them, let alone force them to move out and ensure at the same time proper rehabilitation package. 3. Builders: The obscene property prices in Mumbai is nothing but a demand supply mismatch. Why on earth will any builder ever bridge the gap significantly and that at a fast pace. Gradually yes...at long as it does make the prices south bound... So, thats my take on the whole issue. I am sure there are man people who will differ with me, but as they say, its just my opinion. Take it or leave it... Cheers (Views expressed are personal in nature)