June 24, 2025: Nearly a month after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis approved the master plan for the ambitious Dharavi redevelopment, the first eligibility list for new housing has been released—revealing that only 16% of surveyed residents have qualified. The list was shared with residents of Meghwadi, a small pocket within the vast slum cluster of Dharavi.
Out of 505 ground-plus-one or two-storey tin-roofed structures surveyed in Meghwadi, only 81 tenements were deemed eligible for new homes under the project. The announcement was made by the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP), in collaboration with the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA).
Eligible residents will receive 350 sq ft homes with basic amenities, located within their current neighbourhoods to ensure in-situ rehabilitation. Meanwhile, the government is identifying alternate land parcels—including the Deonar dumping ground, Aksa, Mulund, Bhandup’s salt pans, Kanjurmarg, and the Kurla dairy land—for the relocation of those marked ineligible.
The residents of Meghwadi, many of whom are small-scale business owners, had consented to the housing survey in May 2024, as part of the Rs 95,790-crore redevelopment plan. Those marked ineligible now have until July 5 to submit supporting documentation to challenge their status.
When asked about the criteria for categorisation, a DRP official stated, “We are examining a wide range of documentation to determine eligibility.”
However, residents have expressed deep concern. “Even the smallest documentation issue is pushing lifelong residents out,” said Bipin Padya, a retired businessman. “We were initially told we would be resettled on Railway land in Matunga or Mahim. Now, after three generations here, we are being told we are ineligible.”
The Meghwadi list is only the first in a series, and the outcome is likely to shape both public sentiment and policy response as Dharavi’s transformation unfolds.
Source: Hindustan Times
