The Maharashtra government's dairy development department has sanctioned the transfer of the Kurla dairy’s 21-acre plot to the Dharavi Redevelopment Project and the Slum Rehabilitation Authority. This significant move is aimed at facilitating the rehabilitation of slum dwellers who do not qualify for free housing under the ambitious joint venture between the Maharashtra government and the Adani Group.
To date, the government has already designated various plots in regions like Mulund, Kanjurmarg, Bhandup, and Wadala to accommodate slum residents lacking eligibility. The Kurla dairy, which ceased operations nearly a decade ago, previously housed the main administrative office, staff quarters, and a cold storage plant atop its plot.
Residents currently living in the staff quarters will be required to secure alternative housing, which remains the duty of the state government. Notably, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority had earlier been allocated approximately 2.5 acres of land from the Kurla dairy for purposes including the construction of a station and a viaduct for Metro Line 2B.
According to the Government Resolution (GR) from the Dairy Development Department dated June 10, the Dharavi redevelopment initiative is classified as essential and of public significance. This project intends to offer rehabilitation to Dharavi’s slum dwellers at a cost 25% below the ready reckoner rate.
Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Minister of Dairy Development, remarked, "My department made the suggestion, and the state cabinet approved it. The GR was released on June 10. The land is allocated to a company led by Adani, specifically DRPPL (Dharavi Redevelopment Project Pvt Ltd), rather than to an individual." Unfortunately, attempts to reach VR Srinivas, CEO of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, for comments were unsuccessful, as a representative declined to provide insights.
In terms of housing provisions, DEPPL will offer a minimum of 350 square feet flats complete with separate kitchens and bathrooms to qualifying tenants in Dharavi. This allocation marks the largest size for flats with such amenities among all slum redevelopment projects in Mumbai, representing a notable 17% increase.
Previously, families in Maharashtra’s informal settlements received 269-square-foot residences, while under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna, the state has been supplying homes between 315 and 322 square feet since 2018, deemed the minimum requirement for housing aimed at the urban poor. Residential tenements that existed before January 1, 2000, will be eligible for these new arrangements. Each apartment will boast built-in independent toilets and a separate kitchen, ensuring safety, ventilation, cleanliness, and ample lighting.