Dharavi redevelopment project: Adani Realty seeks extra 552 acres in eastern suburbs

The additional land will be used to relocate ineligible Dharavi residents, who will be housed in the newly developed “Nav Dharavis” (New Dharavis).

The source said, “The land sought was 552 acres only, and even if more land is required for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, the total will not exceed 800 acres.”

According to the tender details, these land parcels will remain with the state government. However, many of these plots face development constraints due to Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms and civil aviation height restrictions, necessitating large continuous land parcels for en masse rehabilitation.

The “New Dharavis” will be model townships equipped with high-class amenities such as schools, hospitals, and good roads, unlike the average Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) projects. The townships are designed to create what has been missing in their neighborhood. Project officials stated that 18% of the plot area would be allocated for roads, 15% for green and open spaces, and 7% for infrastructure. Additionally, 10% will be reserved for commercial establishments, which housing societies will lease out to generate revenue for maintenance, the source emphasised.

Furthermore, he said that although 800 acres of land is in Deonar, about 200 acres are being sought to create “New Dharavis”. He added that while the state government sanctioned 283 acres of salt pan land, 33 acres had already been used for various government projects, leaving only 250 acres available for Dharavi rehabilitation.

Regarding the 17 acres of land in G block of Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), sources clarified it was not requested for rehabilitation but for a casting yard. However, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has denied permission for this.

Out of the 600 acres in Dharavi itself, only around 300 acres would be available for the Dharavi redevelopment project. The remaining 300 acres cannot be used as these include Dharavi Koliwada, the Mahim Nature Park, a power substation, and an upcoming BMC sewage water treatment plant.

The previous proposed plan for the Dharavi redevelopment project, sanctioned by the SRA on March 17, 2016, also highlighted land scarcity as a significant issue. Although 154.74 hectares of land were available, the actual land usable after accounting for proposed roads and non-buildable reservations for playgrounds and recreational grounds was only 106.55 hectares. Properties and areas already developed or in the process of development were excluded from the project area.

An official stressed that in the revised plan the provision to provide houses to upper floors residents under the rental housing scheme and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) scheme is made, hence the need for additional land. The official explained that these land parcels were identified by Adani Realty and sent for approval. When questioned about seeking land before completing the survey, the official said that not all land parcels had been handed over, considering potential encumbrances. To prevent delays, ineligible tenants must be relocated before the slum can be razed to provide housing for eligible tenants with a provision for in-situ housing.