The Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) has announced the conclusion of its extensive enumeration and eligibility survey, with door‑to‑door visits slated to end on August 12, 2025. Residents who provide valid documentation and call the DRP helpline by the deadline may still submit their documents directly at DRP or NMDPL offices to confirm eligibility for resettlement benefits.
Launched in March 2024 with an initial one‑year timeline, the survey seeks to identify households eligible for resettlement. Eligibility criteria stipulate that residents settling in Dharavi before 1 January 2000 qualify for a free 350 sq ft flat within the redevelopment zone. Those settling between 1 January 2000 and 1 January 2011 may receive 300 sq ft housing outside the original area under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), either as rental or purchase at subsidised rates. By the latest count, over 87,000 tenements have completed the household survey and more than 120,000 units have been mapped across Dharavi and neighbouring suburbs including Kurla, Mulund, Kanjurmarg, Bhandup, and Mukteshwar. DRP officials emphasise that door-to-door enumeration will not continue in areas where mapping is complete, and non-participation will be treated as opting out.
However, any resident who contacts the helpline and provides necessary documents will be added to the survey list. Officials confirmed the mapping includes all tenements within parcels already cleared for redevelopment. Remaining pockets such as privately owned plots in Kumbharwada and Complex 13 still await resolution. Once residents reach out with valid documentation, survey teams will act swiftly to include them in the formal process. In parallel, the Maharashtra state cabinet recently approved a policy enabling both lessees and non‑owner commercial establishments in Dharavi to become tenants in the newly planned commercial spaces, which are expected to occupy ten per cent of the redevelopment structure. This move ensures continuity for small businesses while preserving Dharavi’s economic fabric.
Planning experts view the DRP as a pioneering endeavour in integrated urban renewal — combining residential and commercial zones, shared public amenities, and essential infrastructure improvements. The project aims to foster a self‑sufficient “city within a city” model that preserves the mixed‑use, community‑driven ethos of Dharavi. As the August 12 survey deadline looms, project officials emphasise that households hoping to access the redevelopment benefits must act promptly. Missing the cut‑off may exclude them from initial resettlement rounds and delay inclusion in the master‑plan timeline.
Looking ahead, the authorities will soon publish Draft Annexure‑II—a list of eligible households and tenements—allowing for feedback and corrections. Whether the DRP achieves its promise of equitable resettlement while preserving Dharavi’s social ecosystem will depend on transparent follow‑through in the coming months.
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