Maharashtra Government Allocations 118-Acre Malad Land for Dharavi Redevelopment

The Maharashtra government has officially transferred possession of a 118-acre land parcel at Mukteshwar in Malad-Malvani to the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP). This significant handover took place on Wednesday, marking a crucial step towards the redevelopment of Dharavi. The land will be utilized to construct rehabilitation buildings for residents who are not eligible for in-situ rehabilitation within Dharavi.

Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited (NMDPL) is the special purpose vehicle (SPV) formed by the Maharashtra government and the Adani Group to oversee the Dharavi Redevelopment Project. NMDPL will be responsible for planning and constructing the rehabilitation buildings on the Malad land.

The Malad land parcel is the third major landholding to be handed over to the DRP, following the Mother Dairy Land at Kurla and the Jamas saltpan land at Mulund. Officials noted that the site will primarily accommodate upper-floor residents and those who settled in Dharavi after January 1, 2011, and before November 15, 2022. According to the project terms and conditions, these residents will be resettled in modern, planned townships within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

The official stated that, as with other parcels allotted for the project, ownership of the Malad land will remain with the DRP/SRA, while NMDPL will have the development rights. The total value of the 118-acre land is estimated at around Rs 540 crore, with Rs 135 crore already paid by NMDPL as a premium towards development rights.

Of the 140 acres earmarked at Mukteshwar, 118 acres have now been handed over, while 22 acres remain under litigation. Overall, the state has identified and allotted about 540 acres of land parcels within MMR for the purpose of dignified affordable housing as part of the Dharavi redevelopment project. These include land at Kurla, salt pan lands at Kanjur, Bhandup, and Mulund, and portions at the Deonar dumping ground, to facilitate large-scale rehabilitation.

The handover is expected to accelerate the construction of rehabilitation housing and provide momentum to the phased redevelopment so that Dharavikars can move into their new homes as per eligibility within the seven-year period. It is estimated that about 1.25 to 1.5 lakh new homes will be constructed to rehabilitate about 10 lakh residents.

The Dharavi Redevelopment Project aims to transform one of the largest slums in Asia into a modern, planned township. This initiative is a significant step towards improving the living conditions of Dharavi residents and enhancing the overall urban landscape of Mumbai.