MUMBAI: The Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) has unveiled its first eligibility list, revealing that over 75% of tenement holders qualify for new homes under this ambitious slum redevelopment initiative, according to DRP data.
Residents who moved to Dharavi before January 1, 2000, can qualify for a 350 sq ft flat within the area, assuming they provide the necessary documentation.
Residents who established residence between January 1, 2000, and January 1, 2011, may be offered 300 sq ft units at alternative locations outside Dharavi.
The first list identifies 505 households from Meghwadi and Ganesh Nagar in Mahim as eligible for rehabilitation. Of these 505 tenements, over 75% have qualified for new homes under the redevelopment scheme based on the DRP’s released data. The remaining cases will be assessed based on additional documentation and verification.
Out of these, 31 tenements have yet to submit any documentation, while 137 cases are pending verification by the BMC, which the DRP is currently pursuing. The 38 remaining are classified as amenity structures. Among the 299 qualified tenements, 229 meet the eligibility criteria for new homes, while 70 are in the process of providing additional documentation.
DRP CEO SVR Srinivas affirmed that every eligible resident will receive a house, whether inside or outside Dharavi.
“I want to stress that the Dharavi redevelopment is the most inclusive project in SRA history, guaranteeing housing for every resident. Furthermore, all commercial units, regardless of eligibility, will be accommodated within Dharavi,” he stated.
He elaborated that eligible commercial units would receive free in-situ spaces within Dharavi. A proposal has also been made to provide rental options for ineligible commercial units within the area.
“The 10% commercial space reserved in each society can be rented to ineligible commercial units to help them sustain their livelihoods within Dharavi. We have already submitted this proposal.”
According to Annexure-II data, 170 ground-floor tenements have met eligibility criteria, entitling them to new homes inside or outside Dharavi.
Among them, 157 were established before January 1, 2000, and are qualified for 350 sq ft homes within Dharavi. The remaining 13 are Shashulk Eligible, entitled to 300 sq ft homes outside Dharavi at a subsidized price of Rs 2.5 lakh, having settled in Dharavi before January 1, 2011.
In a noteworthy development, upper-floor tenement holders, who are generally disqualified in other slum rehabilitation initiatives, have been included. According to DRP data, 59 upper-floor tenements have qualified under the DRP’s specially designed ‘hire-purchase’ scheme.
These residents will initially lease 300 sq ft homes for 12 years and then have the opportunity to become legal owners.
They can also opt to purchase the home outright at a government-designated rate during the 12-year lease period.
Unlike other slum rehabilitation schemes that exclude residents who settled on upper floors after 2011, the DRP has committed to providing new and modern homes outside Dharavi, but within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). These new communities will be maintained at no cost for the first 10 years.
The DRP invites tenement holders to submit their feedback or objections concerning the Draft Annexure-II. Responses can be sent to the DRP office by July 5.
