The Informal Economy of Dharavi

Dharavi, Mumbai is not only a place to dwell, but also a huge employer. It's said that the number of people who come to Dharavi every day for work is greater than the number who leave for jobs in the city. The values of businesses here have been estimated at up to $1 billion dollars, but no one can know for sure. Most businesses are small, accounting is lax, and oversight is nil. I came to Dharavi, India's largest slum, with Thomson Reuters as part of their Slumscapes package. These photos comprised a part of the package on informal economies. I witnessed amazing scenes of drudgery, humor, and sweat throughout my time there.