Dharavi Redevelopment Gets Major Push as Maharashtra Govt Hands Over 118 Acres in Malad

Mumbai | Breaking Development

In a major boost to the ambitious Dharavi Redevelopment Project, the Government of Maharashtra has handed over possession of 118 acres of land in Malad–Malvani to the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) for the rehabilitation of Dharavi residents. The land parcel, located at Mukteshwar in Malad, will be used to resettle residents who are not eligible for in-situ rehabilitation within Dharavi.

Confirming the development, Mumbai Suburban District Collector Saurabh Katiyar said the land has been formally transferred to the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP). Sources revealed that while 140 acres were originally earmarked at Mukteshwar, 22 acres remain under litigation, and the remaining 118 acres have now been cleared for immediate use.

The redevelopment project is being executed by Adani Group through its special purpose vehicle Navbharat Mega Developers Pvt Ltd (NMDPL), a joint venture in which the Maharashtra government also holds a stake. While ownership of the land will remain with the SRA, NMDPL will hold development rights. The land is estimated to be worth around ₹540 crore, against which NMDPL has already paid ₹135 crore as a development premium.

According to officials, the Malad site will rehabilitate residents living on upper floors and those who settled in Dharavi between January 1, 2011, and November 15, 2022—categories not eligible for on-site housing within Dharavi. A portion of the land will also be used for constructing sale-component housing that will be offered in the open market.

As part of the larger plan, the state government has identified nearly 540 acres across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region—including land in Kurla, Kanjur, Bhandup, Mulund, and parts of the Deonar dumping ground—to facilitate large-scale rehabilitation. The project aims to construct 1.25 to 1.5 lakh new homes, benefitting nearly 10 lakh Dharavi residents.

Under Maharashtra’s Slum Rehabilitation Act, every eligible resident will receive a 350 sq. ft. rehabilitation unit, larger than the standard 300 sq. ft. units offered in other projects. Residents found ineligible for permanent housing within Dharavi will be relocated to rental housing complexes outside the area under a hire-purchase model.

Awarded to the Adani Group in November 2022 with an initial investment commitment of ₹5,069 crore, the Dharavi Redevelopment Project is being described as one of the world’s largest urban rejuvenation initiatives. NMDPL has a seven-year deadline to complete rehabilitation housing, while the state has set an overall 17-year timeline to fully transform Dharavi into a modern, planned urban township.