Dharavi Redevelopment Project: Maha CM Devendra Fadnavis Approves Blueprint, Urges Developers To Keep An Environment-Sustainable Approach

The state government's ambitious Dharavi redevelopment project took centre stage at a high-level meeting held at Sahyadri state guest house, where Dharavi Redevelopment Project CEO and Navbharat Mega Developers Pvt Ltd chairman SVR Srinivas presented a detailed blueprint of the master plan. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who also handles the urban development and housing portfolio, attended the session.

The timing is significant, with local body elections, including for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), expected later this year. A press release quoted Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, emphasising that the project must remain environmentally sustainable and economically inclusive. "Everyone who is the original resident of this place should be given a house. Everyone in Dharavi should get justice in the rehabilitation project; everyone here will be eligible for this redevelopment project, though the criteria will be different," Fadnavis said, as quoted by ET Realty.

He asserted the importance of retaining Dharavi's commercial fabric and supporting local artisans. "Development works should be carried out in a coordinated manner by taking local people into confidence and preserving the public sentiment," he added.

While the official plan has yet to be made public, ET Realty reported that the government has introduced a series of measures to boost project viability. Among the biggest incentives is the blanket waiver on premiums, including the 25 per cent of the Ready Reckoner Rate that developers typically pay for land in slum rehabilitation projects. Since BMC owns around 60 per cent of Dharavi's land, this move effectively eliminates a major revenue stream for the civic body.

The government has also mandated the use of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) from Dharavi for all redevelopment projects in the city. This TDR will not be labelled as a slum TDR but is priced according to the location it is used on. In its formal response, the BMC warned that these rules could hinder the implementation of the Development Plan 2034, particularly in acquiring land for essential infrastructure and amenities, as per the report.

However, the rollout hasn't been smooth. Resistance has emerged from several pockets within Dharavi, most notably from Kumbharwada. Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad denounced the project as "the biggest real estate grab in history," claiming it was designed to benefit private developers at the expense of long-time residents. "The approval violates provisions of the MRTP, which states that any new draft master plan must be subject to public scrutiny," she said, as quoted by ET Realty.