Mumbai's Dharavi redevelopment project will include India's first multi-modal transport hub, bringing rail, metro, road, waterway and air connectivity together at a single location. It is the most visible infrastructure commitment in an urban renewal programme that is now moving from blueprint to deadline.
The hub will connect the Western, Central and Harbour railway lines with multiple metro corridors. Bullet Train connectivity to Dharavi is also being explored for a future phase, a move that would make it one of the most strategically located transport nodes in the country.
Air travellers will be able to check in baggage at Dharavi itself before taking an Airport Express link to the terminal. A fast jetty will provide a waterborne route to the airport as an alternative to road access. A vertiport is also on the drawing board, included with future air taxi services in mind. In all, the hub will offer five modes of connectivity: rail, Metro, road, water and air, from one address in central Mumbai. Planners have cited Singapore and Hong Kong as the benchmarks.
The transport hub sits within a broader redevelopment effort that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has pushed onto a firm timeline. At a high-level review meeting in Mumbai, Fadnavis directed authorities to hand over new homes to at least 10,000 eligible Dharavi residents by March 2028 as part of the first phase. Rehabilitation buildings are targeted for completion within 42 months, with the full project expected to wrap over the next decade.
Fadnavis has been clear that the project is not a conventional real-estate exercise. The stated focus is on improving living standards while protecting Dharavi's social fabric, local industries and cultural identity. Housing units will include separate kitchens, bedrooms, toilets and adequate ventilation. A dedicated MSME support framework is being prepared for small businesses in leather, textiles, recycling and food processing, alongside proposals for cloud kitchens to support food entrepreneurs.
The project is being executed through a special purpose vehicle under a public-private partnership between the Maharashtra government and the Adani Group. A single-window clearance mechanism is being set up to speed approvals. Green spaces, pedestrian infrastructure and large-scale tree plantation are also part of the plan as Mumbai works to give Dharavi a modern, global identity.
(Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.)
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.