The Adani Group has committed an investment of approximately Rs 2,000 crore towards the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP), marking a significant move in Asia’s largest slum redevelopment initiative.
Spanning 640 acres in Mumbai, this project is poised to transform the densely populated Dharavi area into a modern urban space. The Dharavi Redevelopment Project is being executed by the Dharavi Redevelopment Project Private Limited (DRPPL), a joint venture between the Adani Group and the Maharashtra government. Under this partnership, the Adani Group serves as the lead partner, responsible for constructing both residential and commercial units. The group secured the contract for the project in 2022 and received final approval last year.
According to officials, substantial investments are also being allocated towards a comprehensive survey to ascertain the number of tenements within Dharavi, a task expected to conclude by March 2025. Over 100 personnel have been deployed to manage the joint venture, with the authority having already refunded Rs 500 crore to the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA). The Initial phase of construction is anticipated to commence within the next four to six months, with rehabilitation buildings on railway land taking priority. Construction of railway facilities on this land is projected to start in the coming months.
The project plans to deliver between 15,000 and 20,000 units on the land located south of Dharavi. Srinivas, the IAS officer leading the project, has indicated that once eight to ten buildings are completed, eligible families will begin to be relocated. This relocation process is expected to take place over the next two to two-and-a-half years. Describing the Dharavi project as “the brownest of brownfield projects,” Srinivas highlighted several complexities, including high population density, height restrictions due to proximity to flight paths, Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms, integration of residential and commercial spaces, and the proximity to the Mithi River.
Despite these challenges, he expressed optimism about completing the project within seven years, noting that similar slum redevelopment projects involving 200-300 tenements typically take the same duration. One of the contentious aspects of the project involves the allocation of flats. While it has been declared that eligible residents will receive 350 sq ft flats — larger than the standard 300 sq ft offered in similar projects — resident associations are lobbying for even larger units. Srinivas did not provide specific comments on this issue. Under the current allocation plan, residents who held tenements on or before January 1, 2000, and currently reside on the ground floor will be entitled to a free apartment within Dharavi.
Those who moved in between January 1, 2000, and January 1, 2011, will be eligible for homes under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in Mumbai, subject to a payment of Rs 2.5 lakh. Meanwhile, residents who moved in after January 1, 2011, and live above the ground floor, are considered “ineligible” but will be offered rental accommodation with an option to purchase on a “hire purchase” basis at a later stage. The Adani Group’s Involvement is expected to accelerate the development of the Dharavi project, bringing about a transformative change in one of Asia’s most congested urban settlements.
