How Mumbai’s Chawls Shaped Urban Living - 4 insights from Rupali Gupte
How 15 people shared one room? Are chawls private or public? Can elites live in chawls? and Floor Space Index circus
🗞️ This week’s Samachar is from my conversation with Rupali Gupte (▶️ Audiogyan Ep. 195)
Rupali Gupte is an architect, artist, and urbanist based in Mumbai. She is a co-founder of and director and Professor at the School of Environment and Architecture (SEA), and a partner at BardStudio. Her work deeply examines the evolving relationship between people and spaces in Indian cities.
1️⃣ How could 15 people share one room?
Short Answer: Work Shift-life balance.
Long Answer: From the 1880s to the 1960s, migrant workers from Konkan and the Deccan came to the city for jobs in mills, docks, and railway workshops. Rooms were tiny, and rent was high, so 12 to 15 men shared one space, sleeping in shifts. When some worked, others rested, even sharing the same beds. But during holidays or strikes, the room became too packed, forcing people to sleep in corridors or on building bridges. Over time, chawls became more than just rooms—the corridors became part of their homes.
Know more about rent of $1 for tenants
2️⃣ Are chawls private or public?
Short Answer: Semi-public.
Long Answer: Chawls are both private and public at the same time. Your room is private, but the corridor belongs to everyone. Neighbors sit outside, chat, shell peas, and watch life go by. Kids run past, clothes dry, and someone cuts vegetables. In Poonawala Chawl, an old man was bedridden for three years, yet never lonely—neighbors kept visiting through the corridor. Privacy is thin, but care is thick.
Check different types of Chawls
3️⃣ Why are Mumbai’s towers so cramped?
Short Answer: Floor Space Index circus.
Long Answer: Ever seen a fire truck stuck in a narrow lane? That’s Mumbai’s towers. The reason is the FSI (Floor Space Index)—it controls how much can be built on land. To redevelop old chawls, the government increased FSI, so builders went tall. But the land stayed small, and every inch got packed. Now, towers stand like books squeezed on a shelf, with no space for fire trucks or playgrounds. Good buildings need more than height—they need breathing room.
Know about Asia’s largest slum
4️⃣ Can elites live in chawls?
Short Answer: Co-living chic.
Long Answer: People moved to high-rises for privacy, locking their doors. But now, co-living is growing—young people want affordable spaces with a sense of community. They cook together, work together, and share moments. It’s not called a chawl anymore, but the feeling is the same—private rooms with shared spaces. Chawls taught us this long ago. We’re just finding our way back.
Co-living market in India to grow 17% from 2020 to 2025
It was great listening and revisiting Rupali Gupte’s episode on Audiogyan. Hope you find this interesting. Let me know in the comments section. Head on to 👉 Spotify | Substack | YouTube | Apple Podcasts if you wish to listen to the entire episode.
While writing this Samachar, I casually Googled “Chawls” in Google Images - surprisingly the first few results were from the movie Phir Hera Pheri. I wondered why didn’t I start the episode with it back then. For those who have never been to Mumbai, that is the closest one can connect with Chawls.
