Dharavi Redevelopment Project

In News

• Recently, the Union Railway Minister and Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister signed a ‘definitive agreement’ for handing over 47.5 acres of Railway land in Dadar for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project.

About the project  

• Plan to re-build Asia’s largest slum cluster: 
  • This is the fourth time in the last 18 years that the Maharashtra government is attempting to re-build Asia’s largest slum cluster which is home to close to 58,000 families and around 12,000 commercial establishments. 
  • The State government would create 22 lakh affordable houses to cater to the urban and rural areas in Maharashtra.
• Objectives:
  • The project includes the development of necessary on-site and off-site infrastructure, including water supply, sewage disposal, electricity supply, piped gas system within seven years from the date of a commencement certificate for the first phase. 

About Dharavi

• Dharavi, famous as one of the world’s largest slums is located in the heart of India’s financial capital – Mumbai.
• The Dharavi slum came into being in 1884. It was originally inhabited by fisherfolk when the area was still creeks and swamps.
• A city within a city, is one unending stretch of narrow dirty lanes, open sewers and cramped huts.
• It became attractive to migrant workers from South Mumbai and others when the swamp began to fill in due to natural and artificial causes.

Source: TH