Mumbai: A Megacity Case Study
Mumbai perfectly shows urbanisation's opportunities and challenges. With 22 million residents, it's India's economic powerhouse, featuring a major port and airport that handle millions of passengers yearly.
The city reveals stark lifestyle contrasts. Wealthy areas like Malabar Hill house business elites in luxury coastal properties. Meanwhile, Dharavi slum - Asia's largest - crams nearly 1 million people into cramped conditions where most residents work in recycling or waste collection.
Mumbai's population keeps growing due to rural-urban migration as people seek better opportunities, plus natural increase with fertility rates around 1.5-2.2 children per woman. By 2030, expect 15 million more residents.
This growth creates serious urban challenges. Housing shortages force slum construction with dangerous illegal electricity connections and fire risks. Water pollution affects 80% of rivers, causing waterborne diseases. Transport is deadly - 10 people die daily on overcrowded train lines. Small factories employ children in poor conditions, showing how rapid urbanisation can create exploitation.
Reality Check: Mumbai shows how megacities can be both economic success stories and centres of inequality - understanding these contradictions is key to tackling urban challenges.