The Maharashtra government on Tuesday reviewed the five-phased Dharavi redevelopment project worth Rs 25,000 crore, which promises to alter the Mumbai skyline. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who reviewed the project, said: “Making Mumbai slum-free was part of the comprehensive plan and it supplements the ambitious Centre-state project of affordable housing for all.” Stressing on the need to adopt technology in the housing sector, he expressed concern over providing adequate temporary transit accommodation to residents when the redevelopment work commences in Asia’s biggest slum colony —Dharavi.

Affordable housing, or redevelopment under the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), he said, should aim towards meeting the need of better shelters, complete with basic amenities, to each and every resident in Mumbai or other parts of Maharashtra. At the meeting, developmental models, along with investments were discussed. To avoid further delay in the Dharavi project, the state government is working on creating a developers consortium which would split the entire slum colony into five phases, to facilitate and unburden investments and expedite the project.

Official statistics indicate that 60,000 families live in Dharavi. The additional floor space index to create additional housing stock to provide commercial incentive to developers for the redevelopment project is expected to be utilised for low and affordable housing. 

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