Varsha Gaikwad, a Congress MP, claimed that the Dharavi Development Project was a massive scam that the Maharashtra government was putting together for the industrialist Gautam Adani’s benefit. During her talk on “Dharavi Dreams: From Slums to Skyline” at the India Today Conclave, Gaikwad shared her worries about the project and what it would mean for Mumbai.
The largest slum in Asia, Dharavi, has seen multiple failures in its redevelopment since the state government’s initial action plan proposal in 2004. The Adani Group was successful in winning the auction in November 2023 to reconstruct 645 acres of prime land in central Mumbai, despite several years of unsuccessful attempts to draw bids.
But even after almost a year, questions remain about how the Adani Group got the contract, whether it has the money to finish the project, and whether it sees the project as a real estate project or a resettlement endeavour.
The two-decade resettlement plan has also been met with scepticism by the locals, and the Congress party has accused the government of favouritism, claiming that the bidding process was rigged to favour Adani at a lower price.
She clarified her position by saying, “We oppose the fact that Adani was given the contract, not the development of Dharavi. The interests of the local populace should be taken into account while making choices. According to the tender policy, 7 lakh residents of Dharavi will be forced to relocate. Every development has to benefit and include the local population.”
Attending the gathering, Rajendra Korde, the President of the Dharavi Redevelopment Samiti, expressed his dissatisfaction, saying, “Match-fixing was used to hand this project to Adani.” It ought to be discarded.”
Source: India Today
