What problems did rapid population growth cause in Bombay during the late 1800s?

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entrance to Mumbai Harbour — Mumbai Entrance to Mumbai Harbour, marked by the Gateway of India (right foreground).

During the late 1800s, the rapid population growth in Bombay led to increasingly unkempt, overcrowded, and unsanitary living conditions throughout the city. These deteriorating circumstances contributed to significant public health crises, most notably an outbreak of plague in 1896.1

In response to these challenges, the City Improvement Trust was established to address the urban crisis by opening new localities for settlement and constructing housing specifically for the artisan classes.1