Maharashtra could earn

Mumbai: The state government could earn between ₹5,000 crore and ₹10,000 crore from rents and sale of houses to Dharavi residents who are found ineligible for free housing within the slum cluster, highly placed sources told HT. The government is currently drafting a policy to finalise rates at which ineligible residents will be provided rental/ ownership homes, the sources added.
Additional chief secretary for housing, Valsa Nair Singh, confirmed the development and said details of the policy would be shared once it is approved by the state cabinet.
Dharavi, one of Asia’s largest slums, is being redeveloped by the Adani group-led Dharavi Redevelopment Project Private Limited (DRPPL). According to the project plan drawn up by DRPPL, families whose tenements were constructed prior to January 1, 2000, and those living on the ground floor would be eligible for free houses measuring 350 sqft within Dharavi. Ineligible residents would be classified into two sub-categories – those living in tenements constructed between January 1, 2000 and January 1, 2011 would be provided ownership homes at affordable prices, while post-2011 tenement holders would be provided homes under the state government’s affordable rental housing policy, with an option for outright purchase.
DRPPL is currently conducting a door-to-door survey of nearly 300,000 tenements in Dharavi to identify eligible and ineligible residents. Around 40-45% of the tenement holders are likely to be eligible for free housing within the slum cluster, said sources. They would be allocated homes measuring 350 square feet in 20-25 storeyed buildings on a six-acre plot owned by the railways which has been allotted to DRPPL. While the design for the tenements is still under consideration, construction work at the site is underway following a ground-breaking ceremony held on September 12.
Residents who are found ineligible for free housing would be provided rental/ ownership homes in other parts of the city at subsidised rates, sources said. DRPPL is currently scouting for land – including salt pan land, railway land, BEST depot land and dumping ground land – to construct homes for these residents. Talks are also on with the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) and other government agencies which are in possession of unoccupied buildings to explore if they could be utilised to house Dharavi residents.
Spread across 600 acres of prime land, Dharavi after redevelopment will house ultra-modern townships equipped with schools, hospitals, gardens and roads.