Dharavi Redevelopment Project Seeks 15 Acres of BKC Land on 5-Year Lease from MMRDA

Dharavi Redevelopment Project Pvt. Ltd. (DRPPL), a special purpose vehicle formed by the state government and the Adani group, has requested a five-year lease for 15 acres of land in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

In November 2022, the Adani group secured the bid to redevelop Dharavi with an initial investment of Rs 5,069 crore. According to sources, DRPPL plans to use the BKC land, previously a Metro works casting yard, to store heavy machinery essential for Dharavi's redevelopment.

An MMRDA official stated, “In a letter dated June 11, Dharavi Rehabilitation Project’s (DRP) deputy collector requested this land at commercial rates, agreeing to abide by MMRDA’s terms and conditions if the land is allocated.” MMRDA is currently deliberating on this request.

DRPPL is actively seeking land outside the Dharavi slum area to support this extensive project. On March 13, 2024, the Railway Land Development Authority (RLDA) transferred 27.57 acres, including a scrapyard near Mahim station, to DRPPL. This land is crucial for the redevelopment project, which spans 600 acres and houses nearly 12 lakh residents. The redevelopment plans include constructing around 1-1.5 lakh tenements of 350 square feet each for eligible residents.

Additionally, DRPPL has requested 12 acres of land from the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking. This includes two prominent bus depots in Sion East — Dharavi and Kalakilla. These depots, built in 1980 and January 2016 respectively, have a total parking capacity for about 300 buses. The 12-acre area also includes offices for the BEST transport and power supply divisions, staff housing for 60 personnel, and amenities for drivers and conductors.

In February 2024, the Maharashtra cabinet approved a proposal to ask the Centre to hand over 283.4 acres of salt pan land at the current market value to the state for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project on a 99-year lease. This is an exception to the usual 30-year government land lease policy.

TOI