Prepared for the joint UNRISD-UN Volunteers project on Volunteer Action and Local Democracy.

INTRODUCTION
1. ORIGINS OF THE HOUSING DISPUTE
1.1 Mumbai: A dual economy
1.2 Janata Squatters Colony
1.3 VLT Holders: Conditions violated
1.4 The Development of Chawls: An Exploitative Arrangement
1.5 Maharashtra Vacant Lands Act: Help or Hindrance?
1.6 Slum Declaration Adds Further Complications
1.7 MVLA Abolished : Rent Arrears
1.8 Harassment of Tenants
1.9 Summary: The Two Processes Of Law
2. THE COLLABORATION
2.1 The BMC as a Quasi- judcial Authority
2.2 YUVA in jogeshwari and the origins of JRS
2.3 Four Common Goals of the Collaboration
2.4 Different Roles and Capacities
2.5 Achievements of the Collaboration: The DMC judgement
2.6 Reflections on the Collaboration untill 1992
3. THE PROCESS OF DISINTEGRATION
3.1 Structural impediments: The menace of bureaucracy
3.2 Unforeseen Events
3.3 Politicization
3.4 Personalization
3.5 Summary of the Collaboration

This paper explores urban poverty and collaboration dynamics in Mumbai's Janata Squatters Colony, highlighting the complexities of slum governance. It examines a collaboration involving state agencies, NGOs, and community-based organizations, analyzing its evolution from inception to eventual decline. Key indicators for effective partnerships, including issue complexities and government openness, are assessed. The study underscores the challenges and lessons learned, emphasizing the need for sustainable collaborations to address urban development. Background context on Mumbai's growth, legislative history, and cultural dynamics enriches the analysis. Lessons drawn offer insights for future partnerships between government and community actors in Mumbai's urban development.

English