In a significant shift from earlier assurances, authorities have announced that several thousand residents of Mumbai's Dharavi will need to relocate to temporary transit or rental accommodations to facilitate the massive Dharavi redevelopment project (DRP). This move directly contradicts previous promises of a seamless 'key-to-key' rehabilitation for all eligible residents.
Official Stance on the Relocation Plan
Mahendra Kalyankar, the Chief Executive Officer of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) and the in-charge of the DRP, clarified the new stance. He emphasized that such relocations are an inevitable part of any large-scale and complex urban regeneration initiative. The immediate priority, according to Kalyankar, is to open up construction fronts and begin rehabilitation work at the earliest. He stated that this temporary relocation should not overshadow the project's ultimate goal: a smooth transition from slum dwellings to proper rehabilitation homes.
Eviction Notices and Rental Compensation
The practical implementation of this policy has already begun. Recently, the SRA and DRP issued eviction notices to 42 residents of Meghwadi-Ganesh Nagar in Sector 1. This action is to allow the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to lay a crucial sewer line through the area.
For those displaced and eligible for free housing under the scheme, the authorities are offering a monthly rental compensation of Rs 18,000. Residents living on the upper floors of affected structures are being offered Rs 15,000 per month to facilitate their move.
Existing Tenements Converted to Transit Housing
In a related development, another batch of 302 residents from Shatabdi Nagar have already been shifted to Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) tenements located in Sector 5 within Dharavi itself. Interestingly, these buildings were originally constructed as permanent housing but have now been officially re-tagged as 'transit tenements' for the redevelopment project.
This repurposing has raised concerns among activists. Raju Korde of the Dharavi Bachao Andolan pointed out that three years ago, 300 residents were resettled in these very flats as a permanent solution. Now, a new batch is being allotted flats in the same building, but only as rental units. Korde warns that this pattern should serve as a cautionary signal to all Dharavi residents about the shifting nature of the rehabilitation promises.
The evolving situation underscores the challenges in executing one of the world's largest urban renewal projects, balancing logistical necessities with the commitments made to the community that has called Dharavi home for decades.
