Planning for decades, transforming Asia’s largest slum, Dharavi into a modern urban hub is the aim of the whole Dharavi Redevelopment Project. With the involvement of the Adani Group, this redevelopment project has gained a great acceleration.
Background of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project
With approximately 70,000 to 1 million people, the sprawling area of Dharavi about 240 hectares in Mumbai is the residential area. Massive economic zone, housing numerous small-scale industries are the key elements of Dharavi. Creating a modern and commercial city with spaces, schools, and healthcare facilities out of this Dharavi slum is the original vision of this redevelopment project. $ 4 billion dollars is the estimated cost of this project.
Adani Group's Involvement
Adani Group was the highest bidder to take up the Dharavi project with a bid of ₹5,069 crore in the year 2022. Taking the massive area into consideration, rehabilitation of this project involves both involvement and ignorance at the same time.
Legal Challenges and Recent Developments
In the year 2018, the initial bidder, a Dubai based company who won the bid, Seclink Technologies Corporation faced numerous legal hurdles in its initial stage. The project with Seclink showed irregularities and favouritism. The project was cancelled by the government. Then a bid was made and the project was awarded to the Adani Group. The Bombay High court dismissed the plea of Seclink on December 20, 2024 and then awarded it to the Adani Group following the state’s decision.
Current Status and Implementation Plans
Now the Adani Group is set to begin the redevelopment project with all the legal complications being cleared. Relocating residents to temporary accommodations, demolishing existing structures, and constructing new residential and commercial buildings are the key elements of this project. For those residing in the Dharavi way before the year 2000 will get a free housing unit upto 350 square feet, the government has announced. For the first ten years, the maintenance of the new society houses will be paid by the developers itself.
Resident Concerns and Opposition
The residents, artisans, and small entrepreneurs created ruckus and showed resistance despite the project giving them assurance. The relocation and the socio economic disturbance which the people fear are due to relocation and loss of livelihood. To be frank, the previous redevelopment projects were a failure which were left with unfulfilled promises and vacant buildings.
Political and Environmental Implications
Currently the Adani group taking up this project has become the limelight. The opposition party has accused of favouritism in awarding the project to the Adani group citing the relationship with the ruling government. Mumbai’s ecological balance depends on the mangrove forests and the marshlands that are located near the Dharavi, therefore environmental concerns have been raised regarding the construction of a large -scale commercial sector on a local environment.
Conclusion
The initial destruction of the Dharavi will commence by the end of March 2025 and the project will take 7 years to complete. There is more risk expected from the local people and ensuring transparent communication, fair rehabilitation processes, and addressing environmental concerns will be crucial inorder to address the issues the opposition may impose. Though the Dharavi project is a risky one, the success of the project hangs on the shoulders of the developer, government authorities effectively collaborating with the local community.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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Author's Bio
Ayesha Jumana A R is a dedicated content writer specializing in creative content, blogs, SEO-optimised articles, and product descriptions. She has earned recognition at the national level for critical writing, contributed to the Assist World Record for Spill Poetry, and received multiple state and district-level prizes for her poetry. Her work is featured in the anthology An Invisible Bond, available on Amazon.
