Dharavi residents cry foul

Some residents have written to CM Devendra Fadnavis alleging irregularities.

A section of residents from Dharavi’s sector-1 have red flagged the redevelopment in Asia’s largest slum, even as the state government has invited developers from all over the globe for the redevelopment of Dharavi.

In a letter addressed to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, residents have alleged that the state implementing body Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) has bracketed tenants residing in chawls and buildings under the Slum Act, to favour the builder lobby.

Residents have claimed that because sector-1 has many open land parcels it will allow developers to exploit maximum area for more Floor Space Index.

“The state government’s move will be unfair to us as it is giving every slum dweller an area of 350 square feet who are currently residing in say 100 or 150 square feet slums and it is giving an equal area to tenants residing in an area of 500-700 square feet in chawls and buildings. We are not against development and the state government should give an area of 750 square feet to the people having bigger houses or de-notify us out of the Dharavi redevelopment project,” said Paresh Mote, member, Dharavi Rahivashi Kruti Sangh.

The project will be implemented through the PPP model and will get a Floor Space Index of 4. It will be redeveloped under development control regulation (DCR) 33 (9) (A), which was framed for the redevelopment of Dharavi, under which every tenement is given an area of 350 square feet, including the 50 square feet out of the fungible FSI.

According to Nirmal Deshmukh, chief executive officer, DRP, the demand of the residents has been forwarded to the chief minister and the decision will be taken thereafter. According to Mr Deshmukh, if the redevelopment scheme is implemented under development control regulation (DCR) 33 (9) instead of 33 (9) A, more area could be given, but not 750 square feet, which is the demand. The state government has divided the 557-acre plot into five sectors for redevelopment. Of these, sectors one to four are with the DRP, while Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) has already started redeveloping the remaining sector.

The DRP also conducted a pre-bid meeting on March 5, in which 16 developers from around the world participated. The tenders for the redevelopment will be opened on April 7, 2016.

Asked about the letter sent by aggrieved Dharavi residents, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “I will look into the matter after receiving a representation. The Act does not allow 750 square feet either.”