Mumbai : The state government's Dharavi Redevelopment Project Company has clarified that the plot for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project has been transferred to them, not directly to the Adani Group. In this company, the government holds a 20 percent ownership, while the Adani Group holds 80 percent.
The company addressed the claims made by MP Varsha Gaikwad regarding the alleged transfer of plots to the Adani Group for the Dharavi redevelopment, stating that such misinformation is impeding the progress of Dharavi residents. They emphasized that the accusations made by the MPs are unfounded and without basis.
The Adani Group shares the responsibility of redeveloping houses and shops in Dharavi and transferring them to the State Government through the Dharavi Redevelopment Company, a partnership between the State Government and the Adani Group. The land will remain with the Dharavi Redevelopment Company as per the state government's determined rate, with the company paying the government accordingly.
In return, the company will receive development rights. The state government will support the project by transferring its land to the company as outlined in the tender terms. The company acquired the railway site even before the tender process, paying a premium of 170 percent.
Despite the government's decision in 2022 to provide houses to all residents of Dharavi, eligible or ineligible, there are claims that opposition parties are spreading misinformation for political gain, causing unnecessary fear among the citizens of Dharavi. The Dharavi Redevelopment Project ensures that every resident will receive a house, with eligible individuals receiving 300-square-feet units, and all residents getting houses 17 percent larger than that.
As per the Dharavi Redevelopment Tender, eligible residents until January 1, 2000, will receive free houses, while those until January 1, 2011, will be provided homes under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana or another state government policy for only two and a half lakhs. After January 1, 2011, residents will receive houses under the affordable housing scheme based on government-set dates.
Commercial coal holders in Dharavi will also receive free space. The company expressed disappointment at the political statements causing confusion and fear among Dharavi residents, noting that all project information is available in the tender documents. They criticized the demand for 500-square-feet houses, stating that such requests are unrealistic as they are not part of the slum redevelopment project or any other scheme.