Mumbai Heat Forces Residents to Sleep on Versova Beach The sweltering heat of Mumbai has driven families from the slum of Sagar Kutir to seek refuge on Versova beach, where they sleep under the open sky. This makeshift arrangement, born out of necessity, has sparked tensions over access to public spaces and highlighted the stark divide between the city’s affluent residents and its working-class communities. For those who call Sagar Kutir home, the beach is not a leisure spot but a lifeline against the oppressive heat that makes their cramped, poorly ventilated homes unbearable. Residents like Sadashiv Patil, an auto-rickshaw driver, describe the beach as their only respite from the relentless summer. “How can anyone sleep like that? How do I let my school-going children sleep like this?” Patil asks, his voice tinged with frustration. His family, like many others, spreads thin mats and old rugs on the sand, hoping the sea breeze will cool them through the night. For them, the beach is a temporary escape from the suffocating heat of their homes, where tin roofs and narrow windows trap the sun’s rays. The crisis is compounded by environmental factors. A developing El Niño phenomenon, which disrupts rainfall patterns, has prolonged the pre-monsoon heatwave in Maharashtra. Weak monsoon winds have left the city trapped in sticky, humid conditions, with nights becoming the worst part of the ordeal. Babloo Mandel, a martial arts trainer, attributes the worsening heat to the clearing of mangroves along Versova beach for the Coastal Road project. “These trees provided some cooling and shelter for us,” Mandel says, pointing to the remnants of mangrove logs along the shore. “Now we’re left with humidity and sweat.” The struggle for survival is further exacerbated by financial strain.#mumbai #versova_beach #sagar_kutir #sadashiv_patil #babloo_mandel
