The Dharavi redevelopment will not only serve as a "cornerstone" project for Mumbai but for all the cities across the state, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday.
"Dharavi will be a cornerstone project not only for Mumbai but for all the cities in the state. Nobody will be rendered homeless. Everyone will get their own house," Mr Fadnavis told NDTV.
Dharavi is Asia's largest slum and one of Mumbai's most densely populated areas. It is undergoing a monumental transformation to improve living conditions.
The government has allocated 40 acres of railway land in Matunga for the initial phase. The land will be used to build homes for around 15,000-20,000 people who will be displaced as Dharavi undergoes redevelopment.
SVR Srinivas, the chief executive of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, told NDTV earlier this month, "The land is roughly 40 acres in size. Construction is underway, and this is the first concrete step in redeveloping Dharavi."
He added, "Here we are planning two things - redeveloping and reconstructing existing railway buildings and redeveloping a slum that exists here. At the same time, we are also rehabilitating at least 15,000-20,000 people directly impacted by the project."
Earlier, Mr Fadnavis said that after redevelopment, Dharavi would look like Mumbai's new BKC (Bandra-Kurla Complex). The project is seen as the first major step towards a slum-free city.
According to reports, the authorities identified 90,000 units to be surveyed; of them, 70,000 have been surveyed.
Last year, SVR Srinivas told NDTV that all efforts would be made to complete the survey in eight months, barring the monsoon months, so that the project can start.
The government's plan for Dharavi's redevelopment includes multi-story residential and commercial buildings. It also plans to improve roads and bridges and provide facilities for clean drinking water and sanitation, along with enhancing social infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, colleges, and recreation centres.
