Dharavi redevelopment survey in final leg; 63K tenements assessed

The Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) has entered the last phase of survey, with 63,000 household tenements already being assessed in the earlier phases.

 

“We are talking of huge numbers here, and we have entered the last phase of the survey. The numbers clearly show that Dharavikars are in favour of redevelopment and are actively participating,” said SVR Srinivas, chief executive officer (CEO), DRP.

 

According to the latest survey figures, lane recce has been completed for more than 95,000 tenements. Over 89,000 tenements have been numbered, and door-to-door surveys have been completed for more than 63,000 tenements.

 

The survey is being conducted to determine the eligibility of the residents and businesses of Dharavi for rehabilitation, considering the redevelopment of the area.

 

The current survey has surpassed the scope of the last survey of around 60,000 ground-floor tenements done in 2007-08 to map and document Dharavi’s residential and commercial structures.

 

Unlike the earlier survey, the present one includes ground floor as well as the upper floor structures, existing Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) buildings, slum dwellers on Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) land, as well as all religious structures.

 

Under the SRA guidelines, only ground-floor tenements are typically considered eligible for free housing.

 

According to the project’s tender document, individuals with ground-floor residential structures built on or before January 1, 2000, will get homes of 350 square feet (sq ft) within Dharavi only. This is 17 per cent more than any other SRA project in Mumbai.

 

Further, individuals with ground-floor residential structures built between January 1, 2000, and January 1, 2011, will be eligible for 300 sq ft homes outside Dharavi for ₹2.5 lakh under the Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana (PMAY).

 

Individuals with upper-floor structures and the structures that exist after January 1, 2011, are ineligible to get homes in Dharavi. Such ineligible residents will get rental accommodation of 300 sq ft outside Dharavi.

 

According to a project-related source, the rent will be decided and collected by an authorised state government body only. And, ineligible residents will also have the option of hire-purchase.

 

“Those found ineligible will be relocated to modern townships outside Dharavi with holistic amenities and modern infrastructure. These new townships will be located within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). They will be equipped with social and public infrastructure, including metro connectivity and other mobility solutions,” said an executive of Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited (NMDPL), a special purpose vehicle (SPV) formed to execute the project.

 

Furthermore, according to the tender document, all non-polluting and eligible commercial or industrial structures (ground-floor structures existing on and before January 1, 2000) will be rehabilitated in Dharavi itself.

 

A space of 225 sq ft will be allotted free of cost. If it is more than 225 sq ft, it will be given at the construction rate with the telescopic reduction method.

 

“We urge everyone to participate at the earliest so that the next stages of redevelopment can begin. Residents who have missed the survey must volunteer for it quickly. We may not be revisiting tenements whose residents have either refused to participate or have not shared their documents despite repeated requests and attempts for a survey,” Srinivas added.

 

Besides, the NMDPL is preparing to construct nearly 150,000 tenements because most hutments have grown vertically to G+2 levels, increasing the number of tenements needing rehabilitation.

 

A spokesperson for NMDPL said, “We are pleased to be nearing the end of the survey and encourage any resident who hasn’t been covered yet to come forward as soon as possible. We have seen a tremendous response from Dharavikars. Their positivity and desire for a dignified life has propelled this redevelopment project.”

 

The Adani Group has an 80 per cent stake in NMDPL, while the remaining 20 per cent belongs to the state government.

 

Recently, the Supreme Court sought a response from the Maharashtra government and Adani Properties on a plea challenging the award of the project.

 

The plea, filed by UAE-based SecLink Technologies, challenged the state government's decision to cancel SecLink's 2019 bid for the redevelopment of Dharavi and award the tender to Adani in 2022.

 

However, the apex court refused to halt the ongoing work at the project site after Adani Group said that construction had already started and over 2,000 workers were involved.

 

The group also told the court that it had invested funds, procured construction equipment worth crores, and started the demolition of railway quarters on the site. 

Home criteria 

 

> Ground-floor residential structures (pre-2000): 350 sq ft homes within Dharavi

> Ground-floor residential structures (2000-2011): 300 sq ft homes outside Dharavi for ₹2.5 lakh under PMAY

> Upper-floor and post-2011 structures: Ineligible for Dharavi homes; 300 sq ft rental accommodation outside Dharavi with hire-purchase option