The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) has identified 18 additional slum clusters across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) for redevelopment under the Maharashtra government’s Slum Cluster Area Redevelopment Scheme, reflecting growing momentum behind the state’s efforts to accelerate large-scale urban renewal.
The decision follows strong interest from private developers in the scheme’s pilot project at C.D. Barfiwala Marg in Andheri (West), according to officials familiar with the matter. The initiative forms part of Maharashtra’s broader vision of creating a slum-free Mumbai while providing residents with secure and permanent housing through integrated redevelopment projects outlined in the State Housing Policy 2025.
Officials said the process of securing approvals from the High-Powered Committee has already commenced for several major redevelopment clusters. These include Majaswadi in Andheri (East), Behrampada in Bandra (East), and the Wadala Truck Terminal precinct, among other locations across the metropolitan region.
The state government formally approved the Slum Cluster Area Redevelopment Scheme on November 13, 2025, with the objective of expediting the transformation of large slum settlements through a comprehensive planning framework. The policy seeks to overcome challenges associated with conventional plot-by-plot rehabilitation models, particularly in densely populated informal settlements where redevelopment has often progressed slowly.
As part of the programme, SRA launched a 101.36-acre pilot redevelopment project at C.D. Barfiwala Marg in Andheri (West). The project attracted considerable interest from private sector participants during the bidding process, with Reliance 4IR Realty Development Ltd emerging as the successful bidder.
Sources indicated that the proposal seeking formal appointment of the selected developer has already been submitted to the state government for approval.
Officials believe the response to the Andheri project highlights increasing participation by large private companies in the slum redevelopment sector. The segment is increasingly being viewed as an opportunity to support inclusive urban development while creating substantial long-term housing stock.
The cluster redevelopment model is expected to play a pivotal role in addressing Mumbai’s housing shortage by enabling the planned redevelopment of larger land parcels. Beyond rehabilitation housing, the projects are designed to deliver improved roads, upgraded civic infrastructure, better public amenities and enhanced living conditions for residents.
According to estimates, the proposed projects could facilitate the rehabilitation of approximately six to seven lakh slum dwellers across Mumbai.
The expansion of the programme comes as the state government intensifies its focus on affordable housing and urban transformation, with policymakers viewing large-scale redevelopment as a key strategy to improve living standards and reshape Mumbai’s urban landscape in the coming years.
Source: The Economic Times
