The final master plan for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) is set to be published within a month, outlining land use patterns across 590 acres. This blueprint will mark the last step before slum rehabilitation begins, with only 35-40% of the land mass designated for construction in a zone where the population density is an astounding 2.2 lakh per sq. km, compared to Mumbai’s average of 23,000 per sq. km. The estimated 10 lakh population includes a large number of migrant workers, making Dharavi one of the world’s densest urban sprawls.
The master plan estimates 1.4 lakh units, comprising residential, commercial, and industrial spaces, will be impacted. Of these, at least half are ground-floor structures that will be resettled within Dharavi, while upper-floor units will be rehabilitated elsewhere. The project, expected to require an investment of 2-3 lakh crore, will be developed under BMC’s Development Control Regulations (DCR) 33(9A) and 33(10A). The rehabilitation scheme will cover 10 crore sq. ft., including land outside Dharavi, while an additional 14 crore sq. ft. will be allocated for free sale and Transfer of Development Rights (TDR), which builders must use as per new government mandates.
To prevent new illegal constructions, authorities have numbered 84,000 structures, with 53,000 units surveyed so far. Eligible households with pre-2000 documentation will receive free 350 sq. ft. homes, while those residing in Dharavi between 2000 and 2011 will be provided alternative housing outside Dharavi for 2.5 lakh. Ineligible occupants will have access to rental housing units of 300 sq. ft.. The rehabilitation component alone is expected to cost 25,000 crore, with the lead developer, Adani Group, mobilizing 2,000 crore so far and seeking approval to raise 2,000-3,000 crore more. With Dharavi's massive transformation on the horizon, the project is set to redefine urban development in Mumbai's largest informal settlement.