Mumbai’s Dharavi redevelopment effort has entered one of its most extensive mobilisation phases yet, with a coordinated documentation drive reaching more than 18,000 households over a two-week period. The outreach campaign, conducted across Sectors 1 to 6, marks a significant step in accelerating survey verification and clearing long-pending eligibility cases key foundations for a project expected to reshape one of India’s most densely populated informal settlements.
According to officials overseeing the initiative, the intensified effort relied on structured field deployment and constant community interface. The documentation camp, which brought together the planning authority and the private development partner, was designed to remove procedural bottlenecks that had slowed the verification process for many residents. A senior official explained that teams were instructed to identify discrepancies on site, resolve minor issues immediately, and guide households struggling with incomplete or rejected submissions.
This hands-on approach proved effective. More than 4,500 hutments with issues ranging from mismatched records to unavailable household heads were mapped, visited and supported through follow-up checks. Officials said this reduced confusion among residents and helped close cases that had been pending for months. They added that such responsive fieldwork is critical to ensuring that eligible families are not left out as the redevelopment plans progress.
To complement on-ground mobilisation, a dedicated call centre conducted over 8,000 awareness calls during the same period. These calls aimed to reassure households, encourage them to attend documentation camps and clarify doubts about the verification sequence. Community workers involved in the process said that early resistance in a few pockets was handled with patience, helping build trust and reinforcing the message that the redevelopment process would remain transparent and inclusive.
The impact has been visible on the ground. Footfall at sector camps which began with around 3,000 visitors has steadily increased as residents gained confidence in the process. The verification-numbering-survey cycle has also become more efficient, enabling teams to convert pending cases into approved entries more quickly. Urban development experts note that such synchronised, data-led planning is essential in large-scale transformation projects, especially in settlements where residents rely on accurate documentation for access to new housing.
Officials emphasised that this phase is laying a foundation for smoother redevelopment in the months ahead. They added that clear communication, reliable field presence and citizen-centric processes will be central to ensuring that the redevelopment benefits are distributed equitably. For Dharavi’s residents, the improved pace of documentation offers clarity and reduces the uncertainty that often accompanies large urban transitions.As the megaproject advances, planners say the priority remains to create a redevelopment pathway that is socially inclusive, environmentally conscious and reflective of the city’s commitment to more equitable urban futures.
Mumbai Documentation Camp Reaches Over Eighteen Thousand Dharavi Hutments In Drive
