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More than half of Mumbai’s population lives in slums or informal housing. For a city that drives India’s economy, this contrast between wealth and deprivation has long defined its urban reality. Transforming that reality is one of Mumbai’s most complex challenges—and perhaps its greatest opportunity. The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), under the leadership of CEO Dr. Mahendra Kalyankar, is now taking decisive steps to bridge that divide with an ambitious, technology-driven overhaul aimed at making Mumbai slum-free.
At a recent meeting with top industry associations including CREDAI-MCHI, NAREDCO, BDA, and PEATA, Dr. Kalyankar invited delegates to the SRA headquarters to see the transformation firsthand. What began as a dialogue about ease of doing business turned into a revelation of how technology, efficiency, and empathy are reshaping one of the city’s most vital housing missions.
From a revamped, multilingual website certified by the Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) to integrated online approval systems and blockchain-enabled recordkeeping, the SRA’s new tools promise to make the entire process more transparent and accountable. The system has multiple access layers for officers, architects, and the public, ensuring both oversight and efficiency. A chatbot interface now allows citizens to easily track project updates, while digital file approvals through blockchain prevent tampering and reduce bureaucratic lag.
“Technology is no longer a support system—it’s central to how we deliver homes,” said Dr. Kalyankar. His vision for SRA 2.0 includes mapping every slum structure in Mumbai by the end of the year, an audacious goal that will provide the foundation for faster decision-making and greater data accuracy. With automated Development Control Regulations (auto-DCR), time-bound eviction programs for non-cooperative dwellers, and proactive legal amendments to the Slum Act, the SRA aims to move from reactive to responsive governance.
The results are already visible. In Worli, nearly 1,000 illegal structures within one scheme were cleared in less than a month, with actual demolition completed in just three days—a pace unheard of in Mumbai’s development ecosystem.
Developers who once viewed slum rehabilitation as fraught with red tape and uncertainty are beginning to take notice. “We had always been skeptical about the viability of slum projects,” admitted Sukhraj Nahar, President of CREDAI-MCHI. “But after seeing the integration of technology and the authority’s positive, development-oriented mindset, I am confident that slum schemes are now viable and necessary.”
The SRA’s data integration initiatives are also breaking new ground. According to Rushi Mehta, Secretary of CREDAI-MCHI, the use of software to consolidate slum dweller information from Aadhaar, PAN, electoral rolls, and electricity bills will drastically cut approval timelines. “Generating Annexure-2 used to take six to nine months,” he explained. “Now it can be done in a click.” Linking Aadhaar data to permanent accommodation will also prevent duplication of benefits, ensuring that each eligible family receives only one flat—a key reform to build trust and accountability in the system.
Industry leaders echoed their support. Rajan Bandelkar, Vice Chairman of NAREDCO, called the SRA’s new approach a “benchmark in governance and efficiency,” adding that the digital systems would “accelerate project approvals and restore developers’ confidence in rehabilitation schemes.” Similarly, Abhay Chandak, Vice President of NAREDCO Maharashtra, praised the introduction of clear Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for demolition and eviction within 45 days, citing the Worli project as an example of the SRA’s new pace and precision.
Vikram Mehta, President of the Builders & Developers Association (BDA), emphasized the need to prevent new encroachments while rehabilitating existing slums. He pointed to the formation of a dedicated encroachment-tracking cell that uses satellite data to flag new illegal constructions in real time—a move that reflects SRA’s commitment to both vigilance and innovation.
The change in sentiment among developers is palpable. For years, slum rehabilitation was seen as a bureaucratic maze, plagued by delays and legal complications. But SRA 2.0, as industry insiders are calling it, signals a fresh era—one defined by clarity, technology, and trust.
In the coming months, Sukhraj Nahar plans to host a workshop for developers across associations to showcase the SRA’s transformation. The hope is to encourage more private participation in rehabilitation projects, ultimately helping the city deliver on its vision of a slum-free Mumbai.
The mission remains monumental, but for the first time in years, optimism is tangible. With digital tools, transparent governance, and a renewed partnership between public institutions and private developers, Mumbai’s dream of dignified housing for all seems within reach—not as a distant policy goal, but as a practical, ongoing reality.
