On April 13, the Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited (NMDPL), a Special Purpose Vehicle led by the Adani Group in collaboration with the Maharashtra government, announced significant progress in the Dharavi redevelopment initiative. The organization reported that over 94,500 tenants have received unique identification numbers as part of the ongoing survey. Additionally, more than 100,000 structures have been mapped, and household surveys for approximately 70,000 tenements have been finalized.

In response to concerns raised by Dharavi residents, NMDPL dismissed media claims suggesting that affidavits were being coerced from ground-floor tenants to render them ineligible for the redevelopment benefits. The company clarified that the collection of affidavits is being conducted in strict accordance with a government resolution dated October 4, 2024. These affidavits are intended to verify the eligibility of upper-floor residents for rehabilitation outside of Dharavi. According to the government resolution, upper-floor residents must provide at least one of several specified documents to confirm their residency.

Acceptable documents include an electricity bill, a registered sale or rental agreement, an Aadhaar card, a ration card, a passport indicating the floor number, or an affidavit certified by a qualified ground-floor resident. NMDPL highlighted that while affidavits are one of the valid documents, many upper-floor residents do not possess formal ownership records, making affidavits a practical alternative. For those residents deemed ineligible for the project, NMDPL confirmed that they will be offered 300-square-foot homes at a nominal price in areas outside of Dharavi but within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently stated in the state assembly that these residents will have the option to pay for their new units over a 12-year period, after which legal ownership will be transferred. Residents can also choose to make a lump-sum payment at any time during this period to secure earlier ownership. The Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) stipulates that the SPV is responsible for the rehabilitation of all eligible and qualified ineligible tenants within the MMR. Under the Slum Rehabilitation Act of Maharashtra, each eligible resident is entitled to one rehabilitation unit of 350 square feet, regardless of the number of tenements they occupy or qualify for.

NMDPL, previously known as Dharavi Redevelopment Project Pvt Ltd (DRPPL), is a joint venture between the Government of Maharashtra and the Adani Group, recognized as the largest urban rejuvenation project globally and a crucial step towards a slum-free Mumbai. NMDPL has a seven-year deadline to construct the necessary homes for rehabilitation, while the government has set a comprehensive timeline of 17 years to complete the entire redevelopment of Dharavi. The Adani Group won the bidding for this project in November 2022, committing an initial investment of ₹5,069 crore to initiate the long-awaited transformation of one of Asia’s largest slum areas.

Knowledge Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/real-estate/dharavi-redevelopment-update-94-500-tenants-assigned-unique-identification-numbers-homes-of-70-000-tenants-surveyed-101744544416496.html