Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) of Mumbai has announced the deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based surveillance systems to monitor existing slum settlements and pre-empt any fresh encroachments across the city. The plan aims to strengthen enforcement around slum boundaries while supporting the long-term objective of making Mumbai a slum-free metropolis.
The initiative, following a successful pilot in the Malwani area, involves deploying AI-enabled tools to capture geotagged images and video footage of existing slum clusters every six months. These periodic assessments will generate comparative datasets that can accurately detect new, unauthorised constructions in real-time. Once identified, civic authorities will initiate immediate removal action to prevent permanent settlements from taking root. Officials from the SRA confirmed that the technology will now be scaled citywide. A dedicated special cell will be established to manage the surveillance operations, flag anomalies, and coordinate eviction drives in case of unlawful development. “Technology offers us an objective, time-bound solution to address unauthorised urban sprawl before it becomes unmanageable,” said a senior official overseeing the initiative.
The AI programme supports SRA’s broader mission of preventing the mushrooming of new slums, which often hinder planned rehabilitation projects. It also ensures the effective execution of existing slum redevelopment policies, many of which are delayed due to legal or spatial disputes arising from unaccounted expansions. Mumbai, currently home to over 11 million residents living in informal settlements, has long struggled with balancing urban growth with equitable housing rights. While large-scale rehabilitation schemes have been launched over the decades, fresh encroachments and unplanned settlements continue to emerge in peripheral areas and on unused government land, placing enormous pressure on infrastructure, land use, and environmental sustainability.
Experts argue that such tech-driven governance, if paired with social safeguards and community engagement, could mark a turning point in how megacities manage informal urbanisation. “AI should not only be a tool for enforcement but also an early warning system to integrate communities into formal housing solutions,” noted an urban policy expert involved in inclusive housing studies. The initiative also aligns with Mumbai’s commitment to building equitable and sustainable urban futures. Authorities clarified that no rehabilitation project will be jeopardised by the use of AI. Instead, the technology will help secure the intent and timelines of approved projects by preventing land disputes and encroachment-induced delays.
As the system enters implementation, officials have urged local citizens to participate in community vigilance and support Mumbai’s transition towards safer, regulated, and better-planned urban neighbourhoods. While enforcement is essential, the broader success of the mission, officials reiterated, rests on transparency, citizen cooperation, and inclusive development planning.
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