'Never seen this in Mumbai': Video of people sleeping on Versova beach goes viral, sparks debate over public spaces

A video showing dozens of people sleeping on Mumbai's Versova Beach at night has gone viral on X, triggering a heated debate about housing, migration, poverty, and the use of public spaces in the city.

The clip, shared by an X user, shows numerous people lying on the beach after dark.

Sharing the video, the user wrote: "This video is from Versova. Recently saw a similar video from Bhayandar Khadi. Have never seen this before in Mumbai. If you don't have space to live, then please leave Mumbai, but don't spoil public places like this."


Another X user claimed to have witnessed a similar scene at Carter Road in Bandra the previous night.

Many users offered their own explanations for the phenomenon.

"It's practically impossible to sleep in slums with asbestos roofs during this heat. They have probably come from nearby slums," one user commented.


Another wrote: "This is a pattern... open spaces, below flyovers, everywhere... people sleeping in the open. Slowly, slums will come up, they will become vote banks, and eventually the government will give them flats using taxpayers' money."

However, some users urged people not to jump to conclusions.

"These people are not encroachers but residents of hutments located just 50 metres away from the beach. Because of the extreme summer heat, they sleep on the beach at night. They are your Ola and Uber drivers and many other workers without whom city life would come to a standstill," one user argued.

Another user pointed to the broader issue of affordable housing, writing:

"It is unfortunate that poor people have to spend their nights like this. Uncontrolled migration has long contributed to the growth of slums in Mumbai. Other cities such as Bengaluru and Visakhapatnam have not faced the issue to the same extent."

Like much of India, Mumbai has been experiencing an unusually hot and humid summer. The city is expected to receive monsoon rains around June 15, which could bring some relief from the sweltering conditions.