Mumbai: The Dharavi Redevelopment Project Pvt Ltd (DRPPL) performed the groundbreaking ceremony (bhoomi poojan) of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project at the RPF grounds in Matunga on Thursday morning.
The event marks the beginning of the construction of railway’s staff quarters and offices to be handed over to the government, as mandated in the tender documents. With this development, the project has taken a huge step forward in creating a modern Dharavi, which will significantly uplift the quality of life of the local residents.
Meanwhile, the state government-led door-to-door survey to determine eligible and ineligible residents is underway with the idea to speed up the redevelopment and to ensure inclusive development. The DRPPL, which is a joint venture between the state government and the Adani Group, has also moved in the direction envisaged by the Maharashtra government, which is on a mission to make Mumbai a slum-free city by 2030.
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Dharavi’s redevelopment is crucial not only for the local residents and those having businesses in Dharavi, but also for the entire Mumbai. At least 10 lakh people are set to get bigger, modern homes and high-class amenities that have eluded them for generations. The redevelopment will benefit scores of small-scale enterprises in Dharavi, who have created a thriving informal economy but are forced to live and work in abysmal conditions.
A DRPPL source said that Thursday’s ceremony was in keeping with the tender conditions and also the first step in the group’s commitment to create a modern Dharavi. “We are redeveloping one of the most densely populated clusters in the world. We have committed to provide Dharavikars with a ‘key to key’ exchange wherein existing residents have been guaranteed new homes within a stipulated time frame and without shifting to temporary accommodation,” the source said.
Details On Housing Plan
The project will put India on a global map when it comes to resettling townships. Residents will be given 350 sq ft modern homes with kitchen and toilet, and will have access to amenities such as top-class roads, hospitals, schools, and open spaces. These homes are 17% larger than any other slum rehabilitation project in Mumbai.
The Dharavi redevelopment project is the most significant project in the entire country, wherein even those who are deemed ineligible will be given a home. The ineligible residents have been classified into two sub-categories – those from January 1, 2000 to January 1, 2011 will be given homes on ownership basis at affordable prices.
The post-2011 tenement holders will be given homes under state government’s affordable rental housing policy with an option of hire-purchase. The ineligible residents will be housed in modern townships that will be created in Mumbai. A DRPPL source said, “These new townships will be ultra-modern townships equipped with schools, hospitals, gardens and good roads.”
It is pertinent to note that all eligible, non-polluting industries and commercial establishments will be rehabilitated in Dharavi itself. A state government source said that the DRPPL was exploring every possible option to protect livelihoods and businesses.
