DRPPL seeks 541 acres across Mumbai to rehabilitate ineligible Dharavi residents

After the opposition from residents of concerned areas and questions raised by social groups and political parties about the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRPPL)’s demand for 1,250 acres of land across Mumbai

MUMBAI: After the opposition from residents of concerned areas and questions raised by social groups and political parties about the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRPPL)’s demand for 1,250 acres of land across Mumbai, the group has claimed that the rehabilitation areas called ‘Nav Dharavi’ will be townships rather than regular rehab buildings. The Nav Dharavi settlements are proposed to be built for those Dharavi residents (post-2000 settlers) who are not officially entitled to free housing.

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The alleged 1,250 acres asked for included 45 acres of railway land, 64 acres in Mulund, 283.40 acres of salt pan lands, 820 acres of Deonar dumping ground land, 17 acres from the Bandra-Kurla Complex’s G Block and 21 acres of Mother Dairy land at Kurla. However, DRPPL officials now say that they have sought not 1,250 acres but 541 acres, and insist that even if more is needed later, the total land required will not go beyond 800 acres.

A DRPPL official explained that though the Deonar land parcel was around 800 acres on paper, only 200 acres had been sought for Nav Dharavi. He added that though the state cabinet had sanctioned 283 acres of salt pan land near Bhandup, 33 acres had already been used for various government projects and thus only 250 acres were available for the Dharavi rehabilitation. “As far as the 17 acres of land in G block of BKC are concerned, these are not for rehabilitation but a casting yard,” he said.

The official said that as per the tender and Dharavi Redevelopment Plan, eligible slum dwellers would get free homes in Dharavi itself, while ‘Nav Dharavi’ areas would be set up across Mumbai for ineligible ones. “As of now, 541 acres of land are sought, which include 250 acres of salt pan lands in the eastern suburbs, 200 acres at Deonar, around 70 acres of land at two locations in Mulund and 21 acres of land at Kurla,” he said. “After the survey, the final figures of ineligible slum dwellers will come out so some more land will be required. But as per estimates, the total land will not go beyond 800 acres.”

When asked why DRPPL needed this much land when it already had 600 acres in Dharavi itself, officials said that of this land, only around 300 acres would be available for the redevelopment project. “The remaining 300 acres cannot be used as they include Dharavi Koliwada, the Mahim Nature Park, a power substation and an upcoming BMC sewage water treatment plant,” they said.

The officials said that Nav Dharavi would not be just an area with buildings like other slum rehabilitation schemes. “Every Nav Dharavi will be a modern township with facilities and social infrastructure like schools, health care centres and green areas,” said an official. “Around 18% of the land parcel will be utilised for this social infrastructure and 15% for roads. So to rehabilitate ineligible people from Dharavi, DRPPL needs big land parcels.”

The Dharavi Bachao Andolan has been raising the issue of DRPPL’s land demand for the rehabilitation of ineligible tenants since June. After the recent order by the state government to sanction land in Kurla for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, a controversy erupted. Various social and political leaders raised their voice against it and also questioned that why DRPPL needed 1,250 acres of land for the redevelopment of Dharavi which is spread over 600 acres.