On Wednesday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis approved the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRPL) master plan, which intends to transform one of Asia’s biggest slums into a contemporary, sustainable community.

At a high-level meeting at the Maharashtra government’s Sahyadri Guest House on Malabar Hill, the idea was presented to top IAS officials, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Fadnavis. According to Fadnavis, the reconstruction must be done in an integrated and environmentally sustainable way.

Fadnavis directed that renovation be carried out during the Wednesday meeting while maintaining the area’s commercial character. “The relevant agencies should work together to make sure that this important component is prioritized throughout the development process,” the CM said.

Given the political and local resistance to the project, the CM placed a strong focus on coordinating efforts while maintaining public opinion and local residents’ trust. The various departments were instructed by Dy CM Eknath Shinde to get the project’s required permissions as soon as possible.

Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad harshly criticized the action, claiming that the “Adani Sarkar” had once again deceived the people of Dharavi. Despite substantial public discontent, the chief minister authorized the Dharavi master plan without consulting the people or following the proper legal procedures. This is the blueprint for Adani’s stratospheric vikas (progress), not a comprehensive development plan, and it comes at the expense of everyone who has worked for decades to build and maintain Dharavi. This is the largest real estate grab in history, not a renovation. In the center of Mumbai, a vinash (destructive) project to grow Adani’s empire will force lakhs of people to relocate. Adani’s “Dharavi vinash” proposal has been categorically and continuously rejected by the residents of Dharavi.

The issue, according to Gaikwad, is: What justifies the finalization and approval of this master plan if the tenement survey is still in progress? How can land usage, both current and planned, be assessed using outdated information or an unfinished survey? The MRTP Act’s rules, which explicitly stipulate that any new draft master plan must be made public, are likewise broken by this approval. It cannot be approved unless public comments, objections, and hearings are first solicited. Why, therefore, has this crucial procedure been disregarded? She said, “Why are laws constantly violated, twisted, and bent in Adani’s favor?” “There is a purpose for the law. Pay attention to it. Don’t destroy it! You cannot buy Dharavi!

All Dharavikars must be rehabilitated inside Dharavi, and they will keep fighting for their rights. Baburao Mane, the former Shiv Sena (undivided) MLA from Dharavi, said that the plan was created with Adani at the forefront rather than the residents of Dharavi, despite the fact that Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Anil Desai was unreachable. Hearings must be held on public suggestions and objections. We will demonstrate in the streets if this procedure is not followed,” Mane said. In addition to protesting in the streets, Mane, a leader of the Dharavi Bachao Andolan, said that the people will even go to court.

Sanjay Raut, an MP for the Shiv Sena (UBT), said that if the proposal is authorized without a public hearing, it is an obvious sign that the administration is trying to help their buddy who is an entrepreneur. How can the proposal be approved without considering the opinions and concerns of the locals? Raut said, “This is just dictatorship and the defrauding of the people of Dharavi.”

In addition to providing ineligible occupants with rental housing, the state cabinet approved a plan on March 25 that would transfer the tenement into the occupant’s name after 12 years. Slums established before 2001 will get free housing, but those established between 2001 and 2011 would be required to pay construction costs. The project is not available for tenements after 2011.

The Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP), which entails rebuilding 100 million square feet, is projected to cost more over Rs 200,000 crore. An estimated 1.25 lakh tenements, including both residential and commercial units, would need rehabilitation. Navbharat Mega Developers Pvt Ltd (NMDPL), a joint venture between the Adani Group and the Maharashtra government, will handle the renovation. NMDPL will have the right to create and sell 140 million square feet for free, even if the proposal calls for building 100 million square feet for restoration. The state government owns the remaining 80% of NMDPL, with the Adani Group holding the remaining 80%.

Timeline and plan

The renovation would create a municipality on 600 acres of valuable land, according to the proposal. Within the following seven years, the slum should be completely transformed into a planned metropolis.