MUMBAI: Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited has submitted a proposal for the transformation of the salt pans in Mulund, Bhandup, and Kanjurmarg to the Dharavi Redevelopment Authority. This company is the special purpose vehicle responsible for executing the Rs 20,000-crore Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP), with the Adani Group holding an 80 percent stake; the firm was previously known as Dharavi Redevelopment Project Private Limited.
The proposal outlines the construction of one commercial building and 18 residential towers (all 180 metres high) on the Mulund salt pan, along with a yet-to-be-determined number of towers for Dharavi residents who qualify for rehabilitation.
The state has already sanctioned Navbharat Mega Developers’ plan to erect commercial and residential towers on land at Kanjurmarg and Bhandup salt pans. Official records indicate that a total of 256 acres of salt pan land will be allocated for the DRP: 120.5 acres at Kanjurmarg, 76.9 acres at Bhandup, and 58.5 acres at Mulund.
The government has also transferred a 21-acre site, formerly the Mother Dairy plot in Nehru Nagar, Kurla (East), to the DRP for the rehabilitation of non-eligible slum dwellers. Local activist Sagar Devre has voiced concerns regarding the project, stating, “There is a lack of transparency. Initially, we were informed that only residential buildings would be constructed. With 1.5 lakh residents of Dharavi expected to be resettled here, the increase in population will strain local infrastructure. Now we learn there will be 18 high-rise residential and one commercial building.”
“We are not opposed to development, but rather to unplanned expansion. This will have an adverse impact on our infrastructure, including roads and water supply,” remarked another local resident.
Stalin Dayanand, founder of the NGO Vanshaki, added, “While the government claims to be providing free homes, these projects mainly benefit private companies.”
Vipin Paliwal, secretary of the DRP, stated that he needs additional information about Navbharat Mega Developers’ proposal before making any comments.
