December 23, 2025: After remaining buried in Mumbai’s planning documents for nearly 50 years, a 120-foot-wide Development Plan (DP) Road has finally begun taking shape on the city’s crowded streets. The most contentious stretch lies in Kandivali East, where a 250-metre section became the focal point of a prolonged battle involving politics, land ownership disputes, court cases, and the lives of 310 slum families living in Singh Estate.
Earmarked for the DP Road, the Singh Estate occupied land that residents had transformed over decades into a thriving colony. Though labelled a slum, many homes were as large as 1,000 square feet, complete with backyards and parking spaces. Residents were not opposed to redevelopment itself but demanded what they considered fair rehabilitation in return for vacating their homes.
The DP Road was first proposed in Mumbai’s Development Plan in 1967 as an alternative to the Western Express Highway and was reaffirmed in later plans in 1991 and 2014. Stretching 5.2 km from Dahisar to Goregaon, only 580 metres pass through Kandivali. Over time, Lokhandwala Township emerged nearby, growing into a dense residential hub dependent on Akurli Road for highway access.
Santy Shetty, a Lokhandwala resident, said, “To get to the highway, we depend almost entirely on Akurli Road. This 1.5-km stretch is perpetually clogged with traffic. Developing the DP Road would change everything for us.”
Land acquisition proved slow and complex, involving forest land, private companies, MHADA property, and finally the Singh Estate stretch. Rehabilitation offers in Mahul and monetary compensation failed to satisfy residents, who cited distance and pollution concerns.
Political divisions further complicated matters, with the estate falling between two assembly constituencies represented by rival MLAs. Eviction notices issued from 2017 onwards saw minimal compliance, prolonging the standoff.
A final push came after the project was declared vital infrastructure. Alternative proposals, including an elevated bridge and road realignment, were explored but eventually rejected. In October 2024, civic chief Bhushan Gagrani ruled against realignment, stating that “eligible PAPs would be accommodated as per government policy in the vicinity”.
Rehabilitation has since begun, with several families already relocated. Yet scepticism remains, as future encroachments threaten to delay the road again. The DP Road’s journey reflects the complex realities of building infrastructure in Mumbai, where development, displacement, and politics remain tightly intertwined.
