Centre yet to hand over 45 acres for Dharavi redevelopment: Awhad

Housing minister Jitendra Awhad on Thursday said that the state government has paid the Ministry of Railways ₹800 crore for 45 acres of land to be used in the redevelopment of Dharavi, but the parcel, which is crucial for the rehabilitation component in the project, is yet to be handed over to Maharashtra

Housing minister Jitendra Awhad on Thursday said that the state government has paid the Ministry of Railways ₹800 crore for 45 acres of land to be used in the redevelopment of Dharavi, but the parcel, which is crucial for the rehabilitation component in the project, is yet to be handed over to Maharashtra. Speaking in the Assembly on a calling attention motion by R Tamil Selvan of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the minister questioned why the Centre is giving a “stepmotherly” treatment to the state.

An aerial view of Dharavi slum. HT/File

“We have paid ₹800 crore to the Railways. However, we are yet to get even an inch of this land,” said Awhad, adding that the state government has written at least 10 letters to the ministry so far.

He urged BJP leaders from Maharashtra to lead a delegation to Delhi to resolve the issue and added that he has discussed this with Union minister of state Raosaheb Danve Patil.

“We want to float a fresh tender, but are in a bind as the Railways is not taking a clear position… why is the Central government meting out a stepmotherly treatment to Maharashtra?” the minister asked.

The Maharashtra government had in 2019 taken the land parcel on a 99-year lease for the redevelopment of Asia’s largest slum. The project has been pending since 2004.