Dharavi redevelopment project: 94,500 tenants get unique IDs, 70,000 homes surveyed, says NMDPL
Adani Group-led SPV, NMDPL, clarifies no wrongdoing in seeking affidavits from 'ineligible' tenants, assures all Dharavi residents will be rehabilitated
Adani Group-led Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited (NMDPL), the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) formed in partnership with the government of Maharashtra, said on April 13 that over 94,500 tenants have been assigned unique identification numbers under the Dharavi redevelopment project survey. In addition, more than one lakh structures have been physically mapped, and household surveys have been completed for nearly 70,000 tenements.
Addressing the concerns and confusion among Dharavi residents, NMDPL rejected media reports that alleged that affidavits were being forcibly collected from ground-floor residents to disqualify them from eligibility under the redevelopment project.
The company clarified that “Affidavits are being collected strictly in accordance with the government resolution (GR) dated October 4, 2024. These are meant to establish the eligibility of upper-floor residents for rehabilitation outside Dharavi."
According to the GR, upper-floor residents must furnish at least one of several documents to prove their occupancy. The list of acceptable documents includes an electricity bill, a registered sale or rent agreement, an Aadhaar card, a ration card, a passport indicating the floor number, or an affidavit certified by an eligible ground-floor resident.
NMDPL emphasized that while the affidavit is one of the accepted documents, many upper-floor residents lack formal ownership records, making affidavits a practical and permissible alternative under the GR.
Also Read: Dharavi Redevelopment Survey enters final phase; Over 63,000 tenements surveyed, says project CEO
What happens to ineligible tenants of Dharavi?
Regarding the rehabilitation of ineligible residents, NMDPL confirmed that those deemed ineligible will be offered 300-sq ft homes at a nominal cost in locations outside Dharavi but within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently announced in the state assembly that these residents would be required to pay for their units over a 12-year period, after which legal ownership would be transferred. NMDPL said in a statement that residents will also have the option of making a lump-sum payment at any point within the 12 years to secure earlier ownership.
The Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) tender conditions mandate that the SPV is responsible for rehabilitating all eligible and qualified ineligible tenement holders within the MMR. As per the Slum Rehabilitation Act of Maharashtra, each eligible resident will receive one rehabilitation unit of 350 sq ft, regardless of the number of tenements they occupy or are eligible for.
Also Read: Dharavi Redevelopment: 6 key things you should know about India’s largest urban renewal project
What is the Dharavi redevelopment project?
Dharavi Redevelopment Project Pvt Ltd (DRPPL), now known as Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited (NMDPL), is a joint venture between the Government of Maharashtra and the Adani Group. It is also known as ‘the largest urban rejuvenation project in the world’ and ‘the first step towards making Mumbai slum-free.’
NMDPL has a deadline of seven years to construct the homes required for rehabilitation, while the government has set an overall timeline of 17 years to complete the full redevelopment of Dharavi.
The Adani Group emerged as the winning bidder for the project in November 2022, pledging an initial investment of ₹5,069 crore to kickstart the long-awaited transformation of one of Asia’s largest slum clusters.
