Delhi Eyes Dharavi Slum Transformation Model to Solve Housing Crisis Now
Delhi is exploring a bold new direction after Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta proposed studying Mumbai’s Dharavi redevelopment model as a possible solution for housing nearly 50 lakh people living in over 675 slum clusters across the city. The announcement follows increasing political pressure over slum demolitions and court‑mandated clearances, and is framed as a compassionate pivot: “We have to think beyond demolition,” said a senior Delhi government official, who added that any recommendation would be contingent on the model’s suitability to Delhi’s context.
Dharavi’s transformation is being managed by a special‑purpose vehicle set up by the Maharashtra government and Adani Realty. With a population of almost one million within 2.5 sq km, Dharavi combines high‑density housing with thousands of small enterprises. The redevelopment plan spans seven to ten years, featuring multi‑storey housing, restored industrial zones, and improved civic infrastructure. Although visually compelling, the Dharavi model relies on contiguous land and a shared urban fabric—conditions that do not exist in Delhi.
Urban policy researcher asserts that Delhi’s slums are largely fragmented and disproportionately small, with many settlements accounting for fewer than fifty households. “Delhi lacks large contiguous plots for a Dharavi‑scale intervention,” he says, noting that Delhi’s slums occupy just 0.5% of city land. Existing in‑situ policies, such as ‘Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Makaan’, aimed to retain residents on their original land, but strict eligibility rules left entire families out. Meanwhile, over 53,000 EWS flats built in peripheral areas remain largely unused, as displaced residents cannot access work, transport, or education.
Activists from the Centre for Holistic Development emphasise that most slum dwellers work in their immediate neighbourhoods and cannot survive relocation. He argues that the real priority should be the provision of basic services—water, sanitation, electricity—without uprooting communities. Housing rights advocate warns of the risks associated with involving private developers, whose focus may skew more toward profit than people. He suggests alternatives such as public rental housing and small‑loan schemes to support incremental homeownership without burdening residents with high EMIs.
The debate on Dharavi’s applicability also underscores the fragmented land ownership across Delhi, where plots are controlled by the DDA, Railways, Defence, and private owners—making large‑scale redevelopment logistically and legally formidable. Some experts propose regularising slum clusters with strong structural integrity, similar to past efforts for unauthorised colonies.
As CM Gupta’s team reviews Dharavi, they face a critical question: can Delhi replicate Mumbai’s model in a city defined by dispersed slums, complex land rights, and livelihood-driven settlement patterns? The forthcoming policy will reveal whether the capital prioritises demolition or chooses inclusive redevelopment at scale.
