Dhobi Ghat (Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat) is a well known open air laundromat in Mumbai, India. The washers, locally known as Dhobis, work in the open to wash the clothes from Mumbai’s hotels and hospitals.
There are rows of open-air concrete wash pens, each fitted with its own flogging stone. Called the world’s largest outdoor laundry, Dhobi Ghat is a very popular attraction among foreign tourists.
The phrase Dhobi Ghat is used all over India to refer to any place where many washers are present.
Mumbai’s is located next to Mahalaxmi railway station on the Western Railway’s Saat Rasta roundabout.
Now, Dhobi Ghat is set to become slum-free as Omkar Realtors & Developers plans its redevelopment.
Some 4,000 families (approximately 20,000 residents), have provided their consent for redevelopment under SRA scheme to Omkar Realtors & Developers, Mumbai’s leading SRA developer.
According to Omkar’s executive director Kaushik More, “Such a historic voluntary handover and razing of slum houses in Mumbai augurs well for city’s redevelopment agenda and speedier implementation of redevelopment at Dhobi Ghat in record time.”
More further stated that the redevelopment initiative under SRA scheme would not affect or hamper the heritage site of the dhobi ghat, holding 731 washing pens and flogging stones and a popular tourist destination.
“The stones washing area will remain untouched and the dhobi community will conduct their routine activities without any disruption,” it said.
Photo of Mumbai’s Dhobi Ghat Laundry District by Clayton Tang via Wikipedia.