Dharavi redevelopment plan: A step closer to modernization
Contrary to all the anticipations of the Mumbai State Government, Dharavi, one of the biggest slums in Asia, has disappointed residents due to the redevelopment plan being drawn by MHADA.
DRA (Dharavi Redevelopment Plan) is an essential segment of the state government of Maharashtra which is soon to turn Mumbai city into IFC(International Finance Center . An aspiring redevelopment plan has been set up by the government which envisages of constructing new housing projects in Dharavi. The locality, comprising of the original fishing communities which populated the island that comprises the city, has grown exponentially over the years. Today, it is a self-contained community and comprises of a number of small businesses from jewellery to leather goods.
Since 1997, the state government has made plans to restructure Dharavi and redevelop it. The cost of redevelopment was calculated at Rs 5000 crore, which aggravated to 15000 crore in the due course. The suitable modification is scheduled to be conducted by the SRA(Slum Rehabilitation Authority) under the S. R Act of 1971
Dharavi Redevelopment Authority
As per the SRA norms, a slum dweller, who has his/her name registered as of 1.1.1995, and who actually resides in the hutmet, is qualified for the rehabilitation. Every such family will be given a self-contained house of 225 sq ft carpet area absolutely free. The eligible slum resident, according to government rules, will be a part of the Rehabilitation scheme and will be allotted a rehab tenant in Dharavi.
According to DRA, the dwellers of Dharavi will be allocated with transit tenements, which will be adjacent to the locality. The developer is likely to bear the expense of the rent of transit tenements while the cost of electricity, water and other consumables will have to be met by slum dwellers.
The growth of Dharavi includes a number of amenities such as wider roads, playgrounds, school, socio-cultural centers, schools, colleges and medical centers. Dharavi includes five sectors which expands around 240 hectares, out of which 152 will be constructed.
Consensus
According to the concluded hearings of DRA, 2015 demands were recorded. These demands are presented as a report to the Slum Rehabilitation Authority as a report and then it will be sent to the urban development department. Of the total demand recorded, 535 were for a higher per capita area, 518 for rehabilitation in Dharavi and 141 for including of mezzanine floors in the calculated area.
New plan
According to the latest urban redevelopment plan for Dharavi area, the construction area will be 3 crore sq ft comprising of schools, housing, roads and parks. Such construction is aimed to serve 57 thousand families dwelling in the area together with 4 crore sq ft of commercial and residential place for sale.
However, the plan has faced severe opposition mainly because the existing residents are likely to get 269 sq ft of every land. To add to it, only the families who have been staying in the area before 2000, are only entitled for resettlement. Small businessmen who have been operating in the area are also concerned, as they may not get relocated under the new plan. The government plans to legalize and relocate only such industries which does not pollute the environment in any way.
The residents of the Dharavi are not against the development, however, some have opposed redevelopment since the government has been postponing the plan for last nine years and did not actually implement it. Lack of a clear plan and timeline reduces the faith of the citizens in the redevelopment plan.
