Dharavi redevelopment gathers pace; 11,000 rehab homes planned on railway land

MUMBAI: The redevelopment of Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum, has gathered pace as the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) has urged residents of Sector-6 on railway’s 35-acre land parcel in central Mumbai’s Matunga to cooperate with authorities and vacate their houses as it prepares to commence construction of rehabilitation buildings in the area.

The initial phase will see 11,000 tenements of 350 sq ft each developed in Dharavi’s Sector 6, located on the Matunga railway land acquired from Indian Railways in multiple phases.

The Matunga railway land parcel forms a crucial part of the Dharavi Notified Area (DNA), which was initially envisaged as largely vacant and ready for immediate rehabilitation construction. However, the presence of existing slum settlements has necessitated phased evacuation.

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The DRP has urged residents in the identified Dharavi areas to complete formal rental agreements with developer NMDPL and vacate their homes. An Adani Group entity holds an 80% stake in NMDPL, the company that is undertaking the project, while the Maharashtra government controls the remaining 20%.

It has asked the residents of Ganesh Nagar-Meghwadi, SVP Nagar, Azad Nagar A & B, Azad Nagar C, and Kamala Raman Nagar-clusters identified for early clearance to enable the development of key-to-key rehabilitation housing for Dharavi’s population.

Authorities have advised residents to vacate their tenements before the onset of the monsoon or the new academic year to minimise disruption.

Officials said timely cooperation is critical to ensuring that construction progresses without delays and reduces inconvenience to nearby habitations.

“Early vacating will enable multiple construction fronts to open up and ensure faster delivery of rehabilitation homes,” a DRP official said.

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According to the official, since the railway land also has slum dwellers, there is no alternative but to ask such residents to vacate so that construction can start. The focus is on ensuring a smooth and supported transition while fast-tracking the construction of modern rehabilitation homes.

To ease the transition, DRP has rolled out a support framework for affected residents. To support the transition, residents have been offered the option of moving into transit accommodation or shifting to rental housing. A one-time shifting allowance of Rs 5,000 will be provided. Those opting for rental housing will receive rent support with a 5% annual increment until they are allotted their permanent homes as per eligibility.