DUSIB panel to explore Dharavi-style slum redevelopment for Delhi

DUSIB has formed a nine-member committee to explore replicating Mumbai's Dharavi slum rehabilitation model in Delhi, assessing its feasibility.

The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) has set up a nine-member committee to examine whether Mumbai’s Dharavi model of in-situ slum rehabilitation can be replicated in Delhi., officials said on Friday.

Slums in Delhi. (HT Archive)

The committee, chaired by the DUSIB head and comprising senior technical officials including engineers and directors, is expected to submit its feasibility report this week following a 15-day study.

According to the June notification, the panel will assess the viability of adapting the Dharavi model within Delhi’s urban framework. Specifically, the committee will evaluate whether the model can be suitably implemented in the city, what institutional mechanisms would be required, and recommend appropriate modalities for execution.

The move follows Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta’s announcement to explore the Dharavi redevelopment approach for Delhi’s slum clusters, many of which have seen demolition drives in recent months. Slum dwellers have alleged that these evictions often occur without being offered alternative accommodation, even though Delhi has 675 notified slum clusters.

The Dharavi redevelopment project, one of India’s largest urban renewal schemes, is being implemented through a special purpose vehicle (SPV) formed between the Maharashtra government and the Adani Group. The project aims to rehouse thousands of families and transform the dense, informal settlement into a modern residential-commercial complex.