Dharavi redevelopment update: ‘94,500 tenants assigned unique identification numbers, homes of 70,000 tenants surveyed’
The Dharavi redevelopment project survey has assigned unique identification numbers to over 94,500 tenants, while more than one lakh structures have been physically mapped and a household survey for nearly 70,000 tenements has been completed, Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited (NMDPL), the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) formed as a joint venture between the Government of Maharashtra and the Adani Group, said on April 13.
Amid rising concerns among residents, NMDPL dismissed media reports alleging that affidavits are being forcibly collected from ground-floor residents to disqualify them from eligibility.
The company clarified that affidavits are being obtained strictly under a government resolution (GR) dated October 4, 2024. The statement noted that these affidavits are meant to help establish the eligibility of upper-floor residents for rehabilitation outside Dharavi.
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According to the GR, upper-floor residents must furnish at least one of several documents to prove their occupancy. The list of acceptable documents includes an electricity bill, a registered sale or rent agreement, an Aadhaar card, a ration card, a passport indicating the floor number, or an affidavit certified by an eligible ground-floor resident. NMDPL emphasized that while the affidavit is one of the accepted documents, many upper-floor residents lack formal ownership records, making affidavits a practical and permissible alternative under the GR.
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What happens to ineligible tenants of Dharavi?
Regarding the rehabilitation of ineligible residents, NMDPL confirmed that those deemed ineligible will be offered 300-sq ft homes at a nominal cost in locations outside Dharavi but within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently announced in the state assembly that these residents would be required to pay for their units over a 12-year period, after which legal ownership would be transferred. NMDPL said in a statement that residents will also have the option of making a lump-sum payment at any point within the 12 years to secure earlier ownership.
The Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) tender conditions mandate that the SPV is responsible for rehabilitating all eligible and qualified ineligible tenement holders within the MMR. As per the Slum Rehabilitation Act of Maharashtra, each eligible resident will receive one rehabilitation unit of 350 sq ft, regardless of the number of tenements they occupy or are eligible for.
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What is Dharavi redevelopment?
Dharavi Redevelopment Project Pvt Ltd (DRPPL), now known as Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited (NMDPL), is a joint venture between the Government of Maharashtra and the Adani Group. It is also known as ‘the largest urban rejuvenation project in the world’ and ‘the first step towards making Mumbai slum-free.’
NMDPL has a deadline of seven years to construct the homes required for rehabilitation, while the government has set an overall timeline of 17 years to complete the full redevelopment of Dharavi.
The Adani Group emerged as the winning bidder for the project in November 2022, pledging an initial investment of ₹5,069 crore to kickstart the long-awaited transformation of one of Asia’s largest slum clusters.
