Dharavi redevp plan amended 038; revived

After running into a series of roadblocks, the Rs 9,300-crore Dharavi Redevelopment Project is finally back on course with the government finalising a revised schedule for the much-delayed bidding process.

Suggestions from stakeholders incorporated; 300 sq ft homes for dwellers; work from next year

After running into a series of roadblocks, the Rs 9,300-crore Dharavi Redevelopment Project is finally back on course with the government finalising a revised schedule for the much-delayed bidding process.

According to MHADA vice-president Gautam Chatterjee, also officer on special duty for the project, the tentative timeline has been approved, in principle, by Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh as well: The 19 shortlisted consortiums of global realty majors will be issued amended bid documents by the end of September; will present their masterplans by mid-October; following a deliberative process regarding each bid8217;s technical merits, financial bids will be opened before November-end.

8220;If we can adhere to this timeline,8221; said Chatterjee, 8220;we should have the winning bids in a month from then.8221; Work would then begin by early 2009.

The project aims at rehousing 57,000 slum families in free homes, to be built by investing real estate developers who then exploit the FSI of 4 for commercial realty development.

8220;We have managed to build consensus among all stakeholders,8221; said Chatterjee, referring to a series of meetings held with various opponents and critics of the project, including former bureaucrats, architects, planners as well as political parties.

8220;The last couple of months have seen intense interaction between the Slum Rehabilitation Authority, Dharavi Redevelopment Project and stakeholders, which has yielded some very positive results,8221; said project management consultant Mukesh Mehta.

Story continues below this ad

Some details of the scheme have now been tweaked: The minimum size of all flats for slumdwellers is now 300 sq ft; those who currently own more than 300 sq ft will be eligible for 400 sq ft homes if they pay construction cost for the excess 100 sq ft.

Also, to mitigate the widespread fear that the monthly outgoings on a flat in a highrise would be unaffordable, the government will match the Rs 20,000 per flat to be contributed to the maintenance corpus fund by the developer with another Rs 20,000. 8220;This will help create greater resources at the start 8212; Rs 40,000 per flat 8212; for maintenance,8221; Chatterjee added.

The amended bid documents also make it mandatory for bidders to demarcate spaces for economic activities 8212; Dharavi is a hub for manufacture of leather goods, food products, clothing, artificial jewellery and a large recycling industry. Also incorporated in the amendments are a conceptual masterplan, technical specifications of amenities and mandatory infrastructural development.

In a slum large and congested, the government will permit only minimal residential space development in the non-rehabilitation component. That means the largest chunk of the new Dharavi8217;s realty development will contribute to creating commercial space. 8220;These too will be on the periphery of Dharavi, and will be located closer to transportation hubs and nodes,8221; said Chatterjee.