Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Answers

DHARAVI SLUM TOURS- GENERAL LOGISTICS

What is the difference between the short tour and the long tour?
On the long tour you travel in the comfort of an a/c car. We leave from Colaba (the main tourist area) and head to Dharavi, passing areas of interest en route such as a boys′ shelter, Kamathipura (red light area) and Dhobi Ghat (big open air laundry). The guide explains about these places and other issues facing the less privileged members of Indian society.

On the short tour, we provide no transport. You either have to meet the guide at the slum, or at Churchgate station (near Colaba) from where you would travel by train with him to Dharavi.

See Meeting Points and Map page for more exact details of where to meet.

On both tours we spend about 2.5 hours going around Dharavi on foot.

The long tour seems very long. Why is this?
For the long tour, total time is approximately 4.5 hours. This includes transport to Dharavi and back from our office in Colaba, or to and from your hotel. For people staying in Colaba, if you were to catch the train/taxi to Dharavi from Colaba, the transport time would be approximately 50 mins to an hour each way, so the total time to do the short tour and the long tour is approximately the same.

How is the private long tour different to the normal long tour?
On the normal long tour, you need to meet outside our office in Colaba at the stipulated time.

On the private long tour, other visitors do not come on the tour with you. We come to your hotel to pick you up and we drop you back. The tour is more flexible as well to what you want to see.

Since we pass by areas of interest between Colaba and Dharavi, to get the most out of the private long tour, it is best to start from Colaba, Fort or Marine Drive. For tourists staying in other parts of Mumbai who wish to do the private long tour and hence be picked up from their hotel, we can advise on what will and will not be included in the tour depending on the location of your hotel.

What is the maximum number of people on the tours?
Five for the long tour. Very occasionally we have six on the short tour

Where are the meeting points and times for the Dharavi slum tours?
SHORT TOUR/ LONG TOUR- see Meeting Points and Map page.

PRIVATE LONG TOUR- we come to your hotel/apartment at either 8.30am in the morning or 2pm in the afternoon.

SLUM AND SIGHTSEEING TOUR- we normally come to your hotel/apartment at 8.30am but we can start later if you wish.

I am staying in Colaba. Where should I meet for the short tour?
The easiest place to meet the guide is at Churchgate station- this is a 15-20 minute walk from Colaba.

Where is Dharavi?
Dharavi is situated between Mahim and Sion- two areas at the northern tip of South Mumbai, just before the suburbs commence (Bandra and Kurla). It is sandwiched between the Western and Central Railway lines. It is about 10km south of the International Airport and 18km north of Colaba, the main tourist area.

I am meeting you at Dharavi. How long does it take to get there?
FROM COLABA:
By train: it is a 15-20 minute walk to Churchgate station and then it takes approximately 45 minutes to buy the ticket and catch a "slow train" to Dharavi (Mahim Junction).
By taxi: By taxi it takes about 50 minutes to an hour (cost approximately Rs 200)

FROM AIRPORT AREA:
By train: too complicated!!
By taxi (NB* by auto-rickshaw not possible: it takes about 25 minutes in the afternoon, and 40 minutes in the morning (cost approximately Rs 100).

FROM JUHU
By train: you need to go to Vile Parle or Santa Cruz Station and catch a "slow train" to Mahim Junction. Total time approx 30 mins
By taxi: it takes about 25 minutes in the afternoon, and 40 minutes in the morning (cost approximately Rs 100)

How will I know who is the Tour guide?
He will be wearing a blue or grey polo shirt with the company logo on. In case of any problem, please call our 24 hour number- 9820822253

What will I see in Dharavi?
We focus on the small scale industries in Dharavi, such as recycling, the making of clay pots, embroidery, bakery, soap factory, leather tanning, papad (poppadom) making and many others, most of which take place in very small spaces.

We also pass by the residential areas, where you really get a feel of how the people are living and you see the sense of community that exists in the area. People from all over India and from all religions live in Dharavi, and you will see this diversity- for example there are Hindu temples, mosques and churches in the area.

It is quite an adventure to pass through the narrow alleys, and you will almost certainly lose your sense of direction!

Why can we not bring cameras on the slum tours?
We do not want to cause any offence to the residents of Dharavi, or to anyone else on the tour. We understand that in most cases tourists can judge situations and decide whether it is appropriate to take a photo or not, but offence can be taken despite this. If customers want, then we can send them some high resolution photos by email.

Is Dharavi dangerous?
Although we cannot take responsibility should anything happen, we believe that the places that we visit are very safe. There are a lot of people in Dharavi (one million approximately in an area of 0.7 square miles) and there is a strong police presence in the area. Dharavi is generally full of hard-working, honest people, although for security purposes we ask you not to take valuables with you on the tour. Travelling through Dharavi is a real adventure, but in the small alleys you have to be careful of low hanging roofs, open drains, and occasionally exposed electric wires.

Is Dharavi unhygienic?
With the very high density of population and the limited infrastructure and sanitation facilities, there are areas which are quite dirty and smelly. We ask you to wear covered shoes.

What clothing should be worn on the tour?
We recommend that you wear covered shoes as some areas can be dirty, especially during the monsoon months from June to mid September. We ask ladies to dress very modestly.

Is it appropriate to bring small children on the tour?
There are health hazards highlighted above which children need to be very aware of. Otherwise we see no problem with bringing children of any age on the tour. Indians are very welcoming and receptive to young people.

I am travelling by myself. Can I do the short or long tour?
For the short tour, you can do the tour irrespective if there others on the tour or not.

For the long tour, we need at least two people. If we are not able to find another customer, you have the following options:

1. Pay double the price of the long tour and do it by yourself, meeting at our office
2. Do a private long tour and we will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel
3. Do a short tour in the afternoon

I don't like going on organised tours. Is it possible to visit Dharavi on my own?
Yes it is possible to visit Dharavi on your own, and in our opinion it is safe to do so. However you will not know the best places to go, the area is like a maze and you will not gain the same insight as with one of our guides.

I hear that Dharavi is going to be redeveloped. will I still be able to see the area?
Redevelopment is supposed to start in 2008, but there are still a lot of issues to be resolved and the developers have still not been announced. It might be possible to visit Dharavi even while the development (which is supposed to last 7 years) takes place.

How do you maintain the quality of the tours?
The tour guides go through extensive training before going on the tours, and information is reviewed and shared so that it is as accurate as possible. We value greatly what our customers think- we ask them for feedback through speaking to them, through questionnaires which are filled out after each tour, and through our discussion forum.

How and when should I pay for the tours?
For the tours, we prefer not to accept payment online because of the charges that are incurred. If you come to the office to book a tour (please note that for the near future there will not always be a member of staff in the office) we will ask you for a 50% deposit. If you book by phone or email, we ask that you pay the guide on the day, and that you PLEASE let us know if your arrangements change.

If you wish to pay in foreign currency, we will calculate the amount based on the exchange rate that day with the Rupee.

DHARAVI SLUM TOURS- "POVERTY TOURISM"

Why go to Dharavi? Isn′t showing the slums and poorer areas degrading?
The primary purpose of the tours is to dispel the myth that Dharavi is simply a place of squalor and (extreme) poverty. The reality is that Dharavi, despite its limitations, is different from that. Dharavi is the heart of small scale industries in Mumbai, and on the tour we show you a wide range of these activities- from making clay pots and leather bags to recycling plastic. The area′s annual turnover is approximately US$ 665 million. In this regard Dharavi is unique compared to other slums in India, and indeed the world. For example, in countries such as Brazil or South Africa, where slum tours are well established, there is not this kind of productivity.

In Dharavi one sees the dignity, fortitude and enterprise of the people, where they are able to work and live in very small areas, with a very high density of population, and yet able to host a plethora of small scale industries.

What do the residents of Dharavi think about these tours?
We are extremely sensitive and respectful about the dignity, privacy and feelings of the residents. We speak to the people of the places where we go, explain what we do and our relationship with other non-governmental organizations. In order to minimize this invasion on the residents' territory, we ask tourists not to take pictures and we only operate small group sizes . The response from the residents has been overwhelmingly positive.

Don't you think that using the phrase “Slum Tour” will put a few people off the idea of going? If you are focusing on the industry, why not say “Slum Industry Tour”?
Whether one believes that the term “slum” is pejorative or not, Dharavi is classed as a slum for legal purposes- for example the residents have rights under the “Slum Act”. We believe that using another word for slum would be misleading. One of the key objectives of the tour is to help dispel the negative image that some people have about slums, so to not use the word would be defeating this.

While the tour does focus on the industry of the area, it is a lot more than just looking at the many small businesses, and hence why we do not use the term “Slum Industry Tours”. It is about the people that work in these businesses, about the kids playing and coming up to say hello, and so much more.

RURAL TOURS

How long is the tour?
The tour lasts two days. You meet at 8am on the first day and catch a boat from the Gateway of India (in Colaba) to the mainland, and then you arrive back at 8.30pm the following day. You spend a night in one of the villages that we visit, in a separate house belonging to your host family.

If you are going straight to Goa afterwards, then you catch a train on the morning of the second day.

I am just one person. Can I do the tour?
Yes you can, but please note the charges. If we can find others to do the tour with you then the cost will be cheaper.

How much notice do I need to give to do the tour?
As with the other tours, it totally depends on how busy we are. The sooner that you can inform us, the better, although it may be possible to do the tour on a day's notice.

Can I take photos?
You can take photos in most places except for the tribal village (Adivasi).

NGO (CHARITY) RELATED

What are Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)?
An NGO is a private non-profit organization, independent from government, which pursues activities to relieve suffering, to promote the interests of the poor, to protect the environment, to provide basic social services, or to undertake community development.

Why are you donating 80% of your profits after tax from the slum tours to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)?
We do not believe that we should be showing places affecting the poorer members of society and profit from it. Nonetheless everybody working in the company receives a modest salary and all expenses relating to the tours are paid.

You claim to be giving 80% of profits after tax from the slum tours to NGOs. How do you function as a company?
We have aspirations as a company to over time offer more and more tour and travel agent services. Although the Dharavi tours (or some similar tour) will be always be at the heart of the company, it will not generate such a high percentage of the company's turnover as it does now.

Why not donate 100% to charity?
We are using the remaining 20% of profits to pay off loans and to invest on the tours.

If you donate 80% of profits, why do you not operate under an NGO, or start up an NGO to run these tour activities?
We are running other tourist related activities and are planning to expand and do a lot more in the future, hence we cannot operate as a NGO. One of the main benefits of an NGO is not paying tax on one′s activities: however an NGO running commercial activities such as these tours would not automatically be exempt from Income tax.

How do you calculate the profits for the tour?
See NGOs section.

What happens if the company makes a loss from tour activities?
No donation will be given. The following year, this loss will be offset against any profits before donating 80% of the profits.

For the period ending 31 March 2006, we did not make a profit, and do not expect to for the year ending 31 March 2007. For details of reasons why, and why we expect an upturn in subsequent years, click on link for explanation of the Accounts

What about profits from other activities that the company does- are those donated to charity?
No.

Why are the proceeds given to NGOs donated AFTER paying tax? Are donations to NGOs not fully tax deductible?
Under section 80G of the Income Tax Act, 50 per cent of donations to NGOs are tax deductible. Yet these deductions are available only for sums up to 10 per cent of your taxable income. We make full use of this small tax break.

How do we know that 80% of profits from the tours go to NGOs?
The accounts are audited (year end 31 March) by a registered auditor, and an auditors′ report is put online mentioning whether the 80% criteria has been met. See NGOs section for this statement.

What is the relationship between the company and the NGOs that you are associated with?
The only relationship between the company (including owners, directors and employees) and each of the NGOs that we are associated with, is a Memorandum of Understanding. None of the owners, directors or employees of Reality Tours and Travel Private Limited owns shares in, is a trustee of, or works for any of the NGOs that we are associated with.