The population of Dharavi, one of Asia’s largest slum clusters, could be halved as part of the Maharashtra government’s long-awaited redevelopment plan.
A recent government presentation on the project, submitted to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, estimates the post-redevelopment population at 4.85 lakh—down from current figures that range between 7 lakh and 10 lakh. According to the presentation, made by SVR Srinivas, CEO of Dharavi Redevelopment Project and Chairman of Navbharat Mega Developers Pvt Ltd, approximately 3 lakh residents will fall under the ‘Rehab-Renewal’ category. This includes slum dwellers and occupants of authorised structures. Another one lakh residents are projected to move into commercial-sale buildings constructed under the new plan. An additional 65,000–70,000 people are expected to remain in areas excluded from the project scope, while a natural population growth of about 16,000 is projected over the next seven years, the time span set for project execution.
The revamp, described in planning circles as a massive exercise in decongestion and gentrification, aims to reconfigure the urban sprawl of Dharavi, which has existed for over a century and holds the highest population density in Mumbai. The proposed transformation will see not just a physical overhaul of infrastructure, but a demographic and social shift, as newer, higher-income residents are expected to move into the upgraded facilities. The presentation to the chief minister outlines a phased plan that intends to rationalise land use, provide formal housing to eligible residents, and introduce high-value real estate and commercial ventures within the same geography. The government hopes the redevelopment will address chronic issues such as inadequate sanitation, fire safety concerns, and lack of basic infrastructure. However, the scale of displacement and the logistics of resettlement have raised questions from housing rights activists and urban planners, particularly regarding who qualifies for rehabilitation and how informal livelihoods will be preserved.
The Dharavi Redevelopment Project, spearheaded by the state government and executed by a special purpose vehicle (SPV) in partnership with private developers, is one of the largest slum redevelopment initiatives in India. With an existing asset value pegged in the thousands of crores, Dharavi is set to become a key site of Mumbai’s urban renewal efforts, possibly reshaping the socioeconomic dynamics of the area for decades to come.
