State forms committee to determine boundaries of Dharavi Koliwada
Dharavi Koliwada is a historic fishing village dating to the 12th century and home to the indigenous Koli community. The community has been vociferously demanding their exclusion from the Dharavi redevelopment project and hence been insisting on fixing the boundary of their koliwada, or traditional settlement, to safeguard their village
MUMBAI: To resolve the long-pending issue of defining the boundary of Dharavi Koliwada, the state government has set up a committee headed by Konkan divisional commissioner Rubal Agarwal to fix the boundary and submit a report within three months. The outcome will determine whether or not Dharavi Koliwada will remain a part of the Dharavi redevelopment project.

Dharavi Koliwada is a historic fishing village dating to the 12th century and home to the indigenous Koli community. The community has been vociferously demanding their exclusion from the Dharavi redevelopment project and hence been insisting on fixing the boundary of their koliwada, or traditional settlement, to safeguard their village.
On Wednesday, state revenue minister Chandrashkehar Bawankule held a meeting to discuss the demands of the Koli community and ordered the setting up of the committee. “The committee will thoroughly examine the demand for approval of the external boundary demarcation of Dharavi Koliwada, consult with local representatives, and submit its report to the government within three months. A final decision will be taken thereafter,” Bawankule said.
Considering the joint family system in the koliwada, residents have demanded “extended land rights”. They claim the current boundary is incorrect, and that land belonging to the Koli community be excluded from redevelopment and included within the Koliwada area, officials said.
The committee also includes the municipal commissioner, district collectors of the island city and suburban Mumbai, settlement commissioner or the deputy director of the Mumbai division, and representatives of relevant public authorities connected with Dharavi.
ABOUT THE AUTHORFaisal MalikFaisal Malik is a senior journalist with over two and a half decades of experience covering Maharashtra’s politics, governance and public policy with a deep understanding of the state’s political landscape. He is a Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times and has been associated with its Mumbai edition for more than a decade. Based in Mumbai, Faisal currently covers three major political parties in Maharashtra — Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and NCP (Sharad Pawar). Over the years, he has extensively reported on major political developments, combining investigative insights with in-depth field reporting. His coverage has spanned a wide range of issues, from drought, farmer suicides, major development projects and grassroots challenges to major electoral battles, including three Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections — 2014, 2019 and 2024. Before joining Hindustan Times, he worked with ‘The Asian Age’ and ‘Dainik Bhaskar’. An avid tea enthusiast, he enjoys reading history, Urdu literature and classical poetry. When away from the newsroom, he writes Urdu poetry inspired by human emotions, life's experiences, meaningful reflections and relationships. An amateur photographer, Faisal is passionate about capturing moments that often go unnoticed by the naked eye.Read More
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