Residents in this area are mainly muslims and migrants from Tamil Nadu for the last 50 years. Hindus from Bihar also settled later in large numbers. These people came to Mumbai in search of employment and better livelihood. Most old residents initially worked in docks as dock labourers.
An important occupation of the residents of Muslim nagar involved travelling to nearby places in Mumbai city like Kalyan, Nalasopara, Govandi, Sion, Koliwada and caughting worms from drains which were food for fish in tanks. This job entailed great risk such as infection and skin diseases from the drains hence this task had great demand. Most women work from home, they work for bindi making units, garment manufacturing, thread cutting and some also run tiffin services on a large scale for people who work in other industries around Dharavi.
As Muslims are in majority, Eid is celebrated with great enthusiasm. Like many vibrant Mumbai neighbourhoods all festivals and cultural activities are shared and collectively organised by all the residents of the area.
Public toilets, one of the most important facilities is of grave concern in Muslim nagar. When the population was minimal 50 years ago most people used open grounds to defecate as there weren’t any public toilets but with the population growing and with hygiene a primary concern has left the residents with no space to built public toilets. Locals then began building toilets at home but without improper drainage systems. Thus, forming gutters around homes affecting the health of the people living in the area. Even taps in the locality are mostly drowned in these gutters as they cannot be attached onto higher levels as the pressure of the water in the pipes are very low. These basic concerns begin to worsen during monsoons as this low lying area floods and creates an unhealthy living condition.
