Indian washermen fear being hung out to dry

Although many residents of slum homes around Mumbai's famous Dhobi Ghat have agreed to development plans for the area, some insist that they be left space to hang out their laundry.

The Demolition of Slums being carried out in the slums surrounding Dhobi Ghat at Mahalaxmi in Mumbai, india, on November 25, 2016. Subhash Sharma for The National

MUMBAI // The Dhobi Ghat in Mumbai is often referred to as the world’s largest outdoor laundry and the historical site, built by the British in the 1880s, has even become a tourist attraction. But as developers close in on the valuable land surrounding it, some of the washermen, or dhobis, are questioning their future.

On Friday, bulldozers razed 800 huts in the slum area around the site, many of which were occupied by the dhobis and their families. The demolition is part of a plan by Mumbai Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) to redevelop the land with buildings that will house the displaced slum dwellers, as well as luxury apartments that will be sold for significant profit.

The work is being carried out by Omkar, a Mumbai-based building firm which has received consent for the plan from more than 80 per cent of the 25,000 slum residents in the 5,000 dwellings in the area – meeting the level of support required by the SRA to proceed with the plan.

The main area of the laundry, which consists of 731 “stones” where the dhobis wash and wring clothes, will not be affected because it is a protected heritage site, but some of the dhobis argue that the development will not leave them the space they need to hang out laundry, a case they have made to the Bombay high court.

“It’s not acceptable for us,” said Anil Kanojia, the chairman of the Dhobi Audhyogik Vikas Co-op Society, whose family have worked at Dhobi Ghat for four generations. “We won’t have sufficient space for drying. We have been drying our clothes in the sunlight on that land for free. They want to give us modern machines instead, but that’s not the same. We’ll have to pay for the electricity. The dhobi business will be finished.”

The Bombay High Court has passed on the petition to a committee appointed by the state government whose decision is expected in the next few weeks.

“The dhobi community will conduct their routine activities without any disruption,” said Kaushik More, an Omkar executive.

Mr More said the company would give the dhobis washing machines and driers that would allow them to work much more efficiently.

“Many want development and they don’t want to dry their clothes on open ground.”

He said he was confident the judgment would be in their favour because they had the support of the majority of the residents.

Ninety per cent of the 350 residents who occupy and use the drying plot have given their approval for redevelopment, he said.

“They want a factory-like modern drying area. The ropes take up a huge amount of space and they don’t get the satisfaction of clean linen because dirt from outside falls on the clothes.”

But the dhobis are not convinced.

“Everything’s a mess since the developer came in,” said Raju Sangola, 32, whose hut has already been torn down.

“That’s OK because they’re going to give me a new apartment. But I don’t want to lose my drying area. If they don’t let me keep my ropes, I’ll leave this business.”

Omkar has said the flats it is building for the slum dwellers, each of which will be about 25 square metres, will dramatically improve their standard of living. Construction will take two years, and each family whose home was demolished will be paid 15,000 rupees (Dh804) a month to cover their rent, it said.

Lokesh Kanojia, a dhobi who has lived in the slum all his life and whose home has been demolished, said he “feels good” about the redevelopment.

But other residents have issues with what they are being offered.

Hasratuli Sheikh, 48, lives in a hut that now stands alone after the surrounding homes were demolished.

Ms Sheikh, who is illiterate and is supported by her son, said she was offered only compensation of 200,000 rupees for the demolition of the hut but will not get a new home because the documents for the property, which she bought in 1998 for 150,000 rupees, are not in her name. She has taken her case to court, and stands to have her home demolished like the others if she loses.

“I’m so worried,” she said. “I don’t work and I don’t have any income, so I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose my home.”