Dharavi Redevelopment: What You Need To Know About The New Housing Plans

The redevelopment of Dharavi, one of Asia's largest slums, has taken a significant step forward with the commencement of work on relocating residents to Matunga, according to the Hindustan Times report. The Dharavi Redevelopment Project Private Limited (DRPPL) is overseeing this process, with work beginning on six acres of railway land in Matunga that has been allocated for the project.

Currently, railway staff quarters on the site are being demolished to clear space for the construction of new buildings. These buildings are planned to be 20-25 storeys high, with five levels of basement parking. This project aims to accommodate the residents of Dharavi who are eligible for free housing. Sources indicate that around 40,000 tenements within the Dharavi slum cluster have been surveyed to identify those who qualify for these new homes.

Dharavi Redevelopment Project is led by Adani Realty under DRPPL. The company won the bid to redevelop the 240-hectare slum area in November 2022. According to the redevelopment plan, residents whose homes were built before January 1, 2000, and those living on the ground floor, will receive new tenements within Dharavi.

Those who do not meet these criteria will be relocated to other areas. The state government is currently conducting a door-to-door survey to determine eligibility for free housing among the approximately three lakh tenements in Dharavi.

On September 12, a modest groundbreaking ceremony was held to mark the beginning of work on the Matunga plot. Government officials have stated that soil testing is underway at the site. Due to its proximity to the airport, there are height restrictions for new constructions in the Matunga-Mahim area. As a result, the new buildings will not exceed 25 storeys and will feature uniformly sized apartments of 350 square feet each.

The new buildings will include various amenities such as multipurpose halls, indoor games areas, playhouses, outdoor gyms, badminton and volleyball courts, walkways, and gardens. Five levels of basement parking are planned, with each level designed to accommodate at least 100 vehicles.

To date, DRPPL has received around 29 acres of the 47.5 acres of railway land allocated for the project. Discussions are ongoing to transfer the remaining land, including additional railway land, salt pan land, and dumping ground land. As more land becomes available, further construction will commence to facilitate the relocation of affected residents.

While several locations such as Mulund, Kurla, Dahisar, Wadala, and Deonar have been proposed for relocating these residents, no final decision has been made due to protests from local residents in these areas.