Adani Enterprises Ltd has begun construction of rehabilitation housing for Dharavi residents at a 22-acre railway site in Matunga, Mumbai, with Pranav Adani, director of the company, performing the Bhoomi Poojan ceremony on Monday.
The project, being developed by Adani Navbharat Developers Private Ltd (ANDPL), the special purpose vehicle for the redevelopment, will comprise 10 residential towers with 10,432 homes and 1,379 commercial and industrial units. Under the in-situ rehabilitation scheme, eligible Dharavi residents will receive homes measuring 350 square feet.
The construction marks a key step in the redevelopment of Dharavi, one of Asia's largest informal settlements and home to more than one million people.
“Every family deserves a home where they feel secure and can plan for the future. We know what this means to Dharavi's families. At Matunga, we are building 10 towers with 10,432 homes and 1,379 commercial and industrial units, creating neighbourhoods where families can live better and build a brighter future for their children,” Pranav Adani said.
The 10 towers will be handed over in three phases to the Dharavi Redevelopment Project/Slum Rehabilitation Authority (DRP/SRA), under the Maharashtra government.
The first five towers are scheduled for handover by March 2029, followed by two towers by August 2029. The remaining three towers are expected to be handed over by August 2030.
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Aseem Kumar Gupta, additional chief secretary in Maharashtra's Urban Development Department, attended the ceremony as guest of honour. Mahendra Kalyankar, chief executive officer of DRP/SRA, was also present.
“This is an important step for Dharavi's families. Our focus is on providing safe, modern homes with the infrastructure and amenities needed for a better quality of life,” Kalyankar said.
Each tower will have 37 to 39 storeys, with 10 to 12 passenger elevators and two dedicated fire elevators. Two additional elevators will serve the commercial and industrial units.
The planned amenities include a kindergarten, community hall, podium gardens, sit-out areas, society offices and places of worship.
The project also includes provisions for the long-term upkeep of shared infrastructure. Ten per cent of the commercial space in each rehabilitation building will be reserved to generate revenue for maintaining common facilities. ANDPL will maintain the buildings and shared infrastructure for the first 10 years after handover.
The project draws on design, engineering and urban-planning expertise from US-based design firm Sasaki, UK-based engineering consultancy Buro Happold, Mumbai-based StudioPOD, architect Hafeez Contractor, P&T and ARC Studio, along with urban-planning experts from Singapore.
The Bhoomi Poojan follows the inauguration of the Dharavi Experience Centre by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Gandhi Jayanti. The event also saw the unveiling of an anthem dedicated to Dharavi and the release of a coffee-table book documenting the area's people, culture and history.
Spread across 22,500 square feet, the Experience Centre offers residents a preview of the proposed redevelopment through life-size sample homes, a 3D walkthrough and interactive displays showcasing housing, workplaces, amenities, transport and open spaces.
“The Dharavi Experience Centre gave residents a first look at the planned homes and neighbourhoods. With construction beginning, our focus is on delivery and long-term upkeep. We will maintain each building and its common infrastructure for 10 years after handover,” Anil Sardana, CEO of ANDPL, said.
(Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.)
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