In less than a month, the state government has taken three major decisions pertaining to the Dharavi redevelopment. On May 28, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis approved the Dharavi Redevelopment Project Limited (DRPL) master plan. On June 3, the state cabinet gave its nod to hand over 8.5 hectares of Kurla dairy land to the DRPL. Now, on Tuesday (June 17), the Maharashtra government has approved a proposal to provide concessions on  thestamp duty applicable to agreements between the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) and other agencies.

This means that sublease agreements between the Railway Land Development Authority (RLDA) and DRPL, or the transfer of land from the Dairy Development Department to DRPL, will have stamp duty at a conceded rate. Under the stamp duty waiver provisions, the state cabinet, in its meeting on Tuesday, approved the concession. “The decision is expected to expedite the redevelopment process,” read the statement issued by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis`s office. Earlier, on June 3, the state cabinet had already approved the handover of 8.5 hectares of Kurla dairy land to DRPL.

The state government’s move to transform Asia’s largest slum into a modern and sustainable neighbourhood has been opposed by Opposition leaders, who argue that the ruling Mahayuti coalition (comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar-headed NCP) is rolling out the red carpet for the private developer involved in the redevelopment process. The Dharavi revamp will be executed by Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited (NMDPL), a joint venture between the Adani Group and the Maharashtra government. The Adani Group holds an 80 per cent stake in NMDPL, while the remaining 20 per cent is held by the state government.