The Adani Group plans to transform Dharavi, the bleak setting of Slumdog Millionaire, into a high-rise Mumbai cityscape, continuing their trend of urban regeneration. Dharavi has long been a blemish on India’s image of progressive growth, and the Adani Group’s plans to transform the 594-acre slum into a modern-day city hub have been accelerated by winning a 619 million USD bid for it.
The Adani Group has already been accused of receiving undue favours from the state government in awarding this contract, which is not entirely surprising given large corporations’ propensity to seek government rents. Hindenburg Research’s findings exposed the Group’s brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud. Additionally, only people who lived in Dharavi before 2000 are eligible for free housing in the reconstruction, while the others will be rehabilitated.
For the rehabilitation of about 700,000 ineligible Dharavi residents, around 580 crores of land will be required. As any Mumbaikar will attest, land is a scarce commodity in this city, and real estate prices continue to rise. The Adani joint venture is well aware of these facts, having petitioned many local and federal agencies for new acreage with no success thus far. This is a huge thorn in Adani’s side, as government bodies have their plans for land and are unwilling to give it up, according to SVR Srinivas, the head of the Dharavi Redevelopment Authority.
The proposal threatens not only economic disruption but also the extinction of a distinct cultural identity that has survived for generations. Finally, true urban revitalisation must stress inclusivity and sustainability, ensuring that growth benefits all stakeholders, not just a few. The future of Dharavi is more than just tall buildings; it is about protecting the lives and livelihoods that constitute this renowned micro-economy.
Source: Feminism In India