Dharavi Redevelopment: Election Poll Plank

The Shiv Sena (UBT) manifesto for the Maharashtra assembly elections, promises to reclaim all the land given to the Adani Group for the controversial Dharavi redevelopment project and promises to scrap the project altogether, citing its negative impact on Mumbai.

Whereas Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis countering the opposition claim of nexus with industrialist & builder Gautam Adani, claims that Dharavi hasn't been handed over to Adani, but SPV The Dharavi Redevelopment Project Private Limited (DRPPL) will carry out the redevelopment, in which the state government is also a partner.

Meanwhile, Fisherfolk in Malad, Mumbai, along with residents of 13 buildings are protesting the proposed relocation of Dharavi residents to their locality accusing the government of orchestrating this move to displace the original inhabitants of Malad.

For the residents of Dharavi the biggest problem they are facing is that of eligibility criteria. According to the criteria, all those residing in Dharavi with resident proofs from before 1 January, 2000, are eligible for free housing within Dharavi and those whose houses came up after 2000, they will be shifted out of Dharavi to places like Wadala salt pans, Mulund, Deonar dumping ground.

The residents are protesting that this eligibility criteria should be done away with and every resident of Dharavi, including those who have moved out of 1 January, 2000, should also get homes within Dharavi.

And then there is the question of many small and micro industries in Dharavi that generate employment for lakhs of people. Will redevelopment mean loss of job and livelihood of lakhs of people employed in these industries?

The Adani Group is in the crosshairs of it all. The growing confusion, the lack of information about the project and mistrust among residents is being exploited by the politicians.

While, lakhs of families in Dharavi have been waiting for years for better homes, the issue has become the biggest poll plank for opposition as well as the ruling parties. 

(Image for representation purpose)