The daily waiting game

As the Greater Mumbai region expands further into the mainland from the island city it once was, it is being built by thousands of men and women who flow into the city from all over India, mainly from the Deccan. Whether armed with skills or not, there is one place in the city where the hopeful—eyes filled with small and big dreams—find their place in a metropolis known as the City of Dreams. But will it truly be a City of Dreams for them, or will it become a city of illusions—Mayanagari?

These images in the photo essay are from the heart of old Mumbai—Null Bazar—and from two cities in the Greater Mumbai region that are growing even faster than Mumbai itself: Thane and Navi Mumbai. The number of labour chowks, or nakas, is rapidly increasing along with the city’s expansion—a clear indication of the rising demand for labour. It is on the peripheries of places like Thane, Kalyan, Navi Mumbai, and Virar-Vasai that new chowks are emerging. And bringing life to these chowks are the very people who are building this ever-growing city.

Just like in the rest of the country, most of the workers are men. The gender ratio is skewed towards men, although some major markets do have a sizable number of women. Fortunately, child labour has largely been eliminated—or at least has not been visibly present in Mumbai’s chowks for several years now.

In the older parts of Mumbai, these chowks can be found outside almost every railway station and major bus stop or depot. Public transport costs in Mumbai are lower than in most other Indian cities, allowing people to travel across the city from where they live.

Another feature of these markets is that many of the older ones are located near State Bank of India branches. This likely makes it easier for workers to send money home or carry out other financial tasks. However, this may change with the growing ease and accessibility of money transfers through UPI.

Different groups are making efforts to organise the city’s workers. Workers—especially men—are increasingly choosing to organise themselves along regional or community lines. For example, many workers in the eastern parts of the city and in parts of Navi Mumbai are from Telangana and have their own organisations.

These labourers remain the backbone of Mumbai’s relentless growth, just as they are for cities across India. Their resilience and determination are shaping the future of a rapidly urbanising country. Millions are moving to cities—and will continue to do so over the coming decades. It is the greatest migration humanity has ever witnessed, perhaps even surpassing China’s urbanisation. As a country and a democracy, it is time to build systems that offer these millions dignity, better opportunities, and an improved quality of life.