Sena (UBT) takes out morcha against handover of Dharavi project to Adani

Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray demanded that the project be made more people-centric. Pic/Anurag Ahire

The Dharavi Redevelopment Project Pvt Ltd (DRPPL) is geared towards the advancement of Adani Realty, not the residents of Dharavi," declared Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, addressing a gathering of protestors who marched from Dharavi T Junction to the realty giant's office in BKC on Saturday.

The demonstration witnessed participation from all opposition parties, in response to the alleged favouritism of the Eknath Shinde-led government in awarding the 259-hectare project to Adani Realty in July. Thackeray called the project the biggest Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) scam, accusing the state government of ignoring the common man's demands and favouring the business conglomerate.

"They have grabbed Dharavi, and I hear they are eyeing Deonar now… This struggle now extends beyond Dharavi; it has evolved into a battle for the entire city of Mumbai," Thackeray said. He demanded that the government take over the redevelopment project to ensure it was people-centric and provide housing to the police, mill workers and conservancy workers.

"Our livelihood depends on small jobs at local manufacturing units. If they relocate us, what will we do? The government should engage in a dialogue with us and provide clarification," said Jalamma, a resident of the Rajiv Gandhi Nagar slum.

In November, the Maharashtra government reportedly issued a notification to modify the Development Control Rules (DCR) for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project. These adjustments could potentially permit the utilisation of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) without indexation. Further, it could prove advantageous for the Adani Group to access TDR generated from the slum project.

An official statement issued by a DRPPL spokesperson states, "The Dharavi project was awarded to the Adani Group through a fair, open, internationally competitive bidding process. It is important to note that the tender conditions were finalised during the tenure of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, which demitted office at the end of June 2022. The finalised conditions, including the obligations and incentives, which were known to all the bidders, have not been changed for the awardee post the tendering process. Hence, it is wrong to claim that any special benefits have been given to the awardee. It is reiterated that all eligible tenement holders will be provided with key-to-key solution, which means they will move into their new homes in Dharavi itself."