The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) General Body has approved the transfer of 11.58 acres of land housing the BEST undertaking’s Dharavi and Kalakilla bus depots for the ambitious Rs 96,000-crore Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP). The move is expected to facilitate the redevelopment of the two important transport facilities while ensuring uninterrupted bus operations during the transition period.
The decision was cleared during the civic body’s General Body meeting on Thursday, allowing the redevelopment plan to move forward for the existing BEST operational hubs located in Dharavi.
During the discussion, BJP corporator Siddharth Sharma highlighted the poor condition of the existing depots and said that redevelopment through a public-private partnership (PPP) model could improve facilities for BEST employees and enhance working conditions.
BEST Chairperson Trushna Vishwasrao said that the undertaking owns 2.28 acres of the total land, while the remaining area belongs to the Collector. She added that the Dharavi Redevelopment Project and Navbharat Mega Developers Pvt Ltd (NMDPL), the agency implementing the project, would jointly prepare a detailed plan for facilities required by BEST staff, including restrooms, canteens and maintenance-related infrastructure.
As part of the transition arrangement, a temporary bus parking facility will be developed near Dharavi’s 90-foot Road to ensure that bus services continue smoothly while the permanent depots are constructed.
Vishwasrao said the redevelopment proposal includes two modern multi-storey BEST depots with a combined capacity of up to 470 buses. However, BEST requires a temporary parking space for around 288 buses, while the proposed 6.17-acre interim facility can accommodate only about 145 buses, leading to a shortfall during the construction phase.
The permanent depots will be spread across 8,602.42 sq m and 10,544.15 sq m. The structures will feature bus parking on lower floors, administrative offices and operational facilities on upper levels, along with commercial spaces integrated into the redevelopment plan. The project aims to modernise BEST infrastructure while supporting the larger transformation planned under the Dharavi redevelopment initiative.
Source: The Free Press Journal
