Dharavi Redevelopment Project [Archive]

phaedrus

August 14th, 2008, 12:57 PM

Dharavi makeover may bite the dust

A new set of parameters for the ambitious redevelopment of Dharavi may ground the Rs 9,350-crore project, fears the state government.
The technical specifications in question pertain to the size of the tenements to be offered to the beneficiaries, the number of beneficiaries, facilities for small and medium commercial establishments and floor space index (FSI) to determine the height of buildings to come up in place of shanties.
The realty slowdown, inflation and high interest rates could also prove to be dampeners as the government readies to open the project to technical bids, sources said. The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), which is the designated nodal agency for the project, has already shortlisted 19 consortia comprising three companies each for the technical bid round.
The technical bids will be called only after the revised parameters are put in place. The state expects the new parameters to be ready by September-end.
“The scenario has undergone a sea-change since the pre-qualification round. There will be pressure on the initial profit estimates due to a slowdown, inflation, and high interest rates,” admitted a government official who did not wish to be named.
In fact, some of the interested consortia have already demanded a higher FSI so that they make decent profits even if the new populist parameters are accepted. “An FSI of 4 itself has been granted as an exceptional case. But there is merit in developers’ demand for an even higher FSI if the specifications are changed midway to accommodate more people in bigger flats,” the official said.
Since the project was announced in 2004, political pressure has forced amendments to almost all the modalities. The cost, too, has gone up from Rs 5,600 crore to Rs 9,350 crore. In 2004, the cut-off date was January 1, 1995 which has been changed to January 1, 2000. Extension of the deadline alone has raised the number of beneficiaries by 10,000 to 67,000. Also, the size of each tenement that a beneficiary would get has been increased to 269 square feet (sq ft) of carpet area from 225 sq ft.
On Wednesday, Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray met chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh with a demand to grant tenements of 400 sq ft carpet area to the beneficiaries. Sources told ET that the chief minister was favourably inclined towards the demand. “The new specifications will have an impact on both the business aspect of the project and its mission statement to provide a better quality of life to Dharavi residents,” an official closely associated with the project told ET.
Entrepreneur Mukesh Mehta, who has been appointed the project management consultant for Dharavi redevelopment, admitted that changes in specifications could mean a poorer deal for end-users. “I am concerned about rehabilitation of Dharavi residents. If the changes that are being demanded are accepted, Dharavi may continue to remain a shanty town,” Mr Mehta told ET. The consultant points out that the decision to provide 269 sq ft tenements has drastically reduced the percentage of land available for sale in Dharavi. “If they make it 400 sq ft, there will be lesser land available for sale, involving a compromise on the quality of facilities we will be providing the beneficiaries,” Mr Mehta said.

source economictimes epaper

jubin

August 14th, 2008, 08:26 PM

http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/Web/HTMumbai/Article/2008/08/14/007/14_08_2008_007_001.jpg

phaedrus

August 15th, 2008, 02:17 PM

this is never going to end. the whole project is turning into a joke

lol!!

headlines in 2033

"The date for submission of bids for the RS. 123,000 crore Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DPR) has again been extended"

seems to be heading down this route

Jim856796

August 16th, 2008, 03:19 AM

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/73/Mumbaiwu8.jpg

In this image, there appears to be a hill in the Dharavi area. I don't know how we can get rid of that hill once this area gets redeveloped. this may be a major-league hurdle.

bhopalus

August 16th, 2008, 03:35 AM

ughh this is so disgusting, i can't wait for it all to be destroyed and redeveloped

Suncity

August 16th, 2008, 04:30 AM

Is that picture (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/73/Mumbaiwu8.jpg) Dharavi or just one of the unending slum stretches from Kurla to Thane? I know the picture is taken from Wikipedia.

Dharavi in reality is not very big in area - just 1.75 sq kms! But apparently it has one million residents!!!! I think the first thing that the government needs to do is ensure a proper population census. But that would be a political hot potato.

This aerial shows Dharavi. Marked it out

photo copyright Vinod

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/2610/mumbaidharaviaerialvinolx0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

IndiansUnite

August 16th, 2008, 05:08 AM

Illusionist

August 16th, 2008, 10:38 PM

In this image, there appears to be a hill in the Dharavi area. I don't know how we can get rid of that hill once this area gets redeveloped. this may be a major-league hurdle.
dynamite baby :cheers:

sammyk

August 17th, 2008, 07:41 PM

Why would it be difficult to remove a hill?

drwho

August 18th, 2008, 01:18 AM

Why would it be difficult to remove a hill?

there is no problem to remove the hill.

bhopalus

August 23rd, 2008, 04:22 PM

Mumbai's slum solution? (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7558102.stm)

Mukesh Mehta wears a crisp shirt and tie as he picks his way past makeshift shacks and stinking open gutters in Dharavi, Asia's largest slum.

Dharavi is a dense labyrinth of dirt roads in the centre of India's biggest and most economically important city, Mumbai (Bombay).

Estimates of its population size vary but it is likely that up to a million people live in these crowded lanes.

But now the slum faces complete demolition under an audacious plan designed by Mr Mehta.

As a wealthy architect turned property tycoon, Mr Mehta makes an unlikely development visionary. A decade ago he became a government consultant after returning to Mumbai from his career designing bespoke mansions for rich clients in Long Island, New York.

His scheme is unique because it uses India's surging private sector to develop slums, instead of relying on government funds or international aid. It is being closely watched as a potential blueprint for a slum-free future across the developing world.

But will it offer a fair deal to the urban poor?

Win-win solution

Mukesh Mehta
Mukesh Mehta says he hopes others make money from his plans

"I'm not ashamed or embarrassed that I'm going to make money out of it," Mr Mehta told me late last year. "In fact I hope that others do too."

I first met him in his own sea-view mansion flat, in a salubrious part of Mumbai worlds away from the tower blocks being built for Dharavi residents.

He explained that the urge to turn a profit is what drives the scheme forward.

Private developers are being asked to demolish the low-rise slum and re-house the residents in tower blocks on the same site, rather than moving them out of the city.

But Dharavi is right next to a prime office district, and is surrounded by three important railway lines. The companies can use the plum real estate left over after they've built tower blocks, to build lucrative shopping malls and office blocks for the middle classes.

The poor get a home in a block in a prime location, the companies make money and Mumbai's residents get a posh new city quarter.

Theoretically at least, everyone wins.

'Bombay Dreams'

But Mr Mehta is facing an avalanche of opposition from slum locals.

His visits to Dharavi are an exercise in diplomacy. I watch him press flesh and bat away questions as crowds of industrial workers confront him.

Although Mumbai's transformation is being closely modelled on Shanghai, China's glitzy commercial capital, India's democratic system means the demands of the slum's myriad opposition groups cannot be ignored.

Annapa Konchikor is an affable, portly Dharavi shopkeeper who wanted to show me why he opposes the plan. So he invited me to sleep over in his home in the heart of the slum.

Dharavi pottery
The entrepreneurial spirit of Dharavi can been seen everywhere

Late at night we strolled around his local lane, alive with a sea of human bodies and the whirr of industry.

In parts of Dharavi almost every shack doubles up as a small scale industrial unit, where the residents stitch garments, recycle rubbish, make pots or handicrafts, melt scrap metal, or do just about anything else to make money.

They are taking advantage of what Mumbai is famous for in India.

Bollywood films celebrate Mumbai as a city where even the poorest migrant can "make it" in the informal slum economy if they work hard enough.

Annapa told me that he fears this aspect of slum life will be lost after redevelopment.

Self-made man

"If the government were developing Dharavi for the people who have been living here, it would be OK," Annapa told me.

Instead he suspects the planners real aim is to serve what he call's Mumbai's "hi-fi" groups - in other words the burgeoning middle class of white collar workers - in pushing the poor out of the city centre.
Annapa Konchickor
Annapa Konchikor worries about the prospects for the people of Dharavi

His own family were once snake charmers who migrated from south India.

Annapa was born in Dharavi and worked as a taxi driver and security guard before saving enough to open a shop in his slum shack.

Now he is a self-made man with four concrete rooms, an air conditioner and a grandchild he sends to boarding school.

His fear is that although each slum family will get a free flat of 269 square feet, the poorest locals will find it difficult to run small scale industries high up in concrete blocks.

Winners and losers

The next morning, he took me to a block where redevelopment had already happened.

The block had problems with running water and there was a pungent smell in the stairways. But despite the dire conditions, I found middle class families had snapped up almost all of the tiny apartments.
Highrise tower blocks being built for the residents of Dharavi
Block like this are being built to house the people of Dharavi

"We bought it from some lady in a slum area, she was given it by the government," I was told by a girl in American-flavoured English in one of the flats.

Her father, the main bread winner, was not home - he lives and works in Switzerland.

It will be illegal at first for slum-dwellers to sell their free flats. But the supporters of the demolition plans point out that eventually if they do sell, the poor stand to make a sizeable profit, despite having illegally squatted on slum land for free.

Poor country

So far the political campaigns and litigation by the slum activists have kept the bulldozers away.

The lobbying has seen Mukesh Mehta's plan altered in several ways that benefit the poor - allotting more square feet for the free flats, and allowing more families to apply for them.

These changes have gone some way towards pacifying the scheme's opponents. The demolition is set to start soon.

But even if many of Dharavi's current residents profit from the plan, it remains unclear whether the floods of migrants who still pour in from India's countryside will find a place to live in the redeveloped Mumbai.

Despite its economic growth, India is still a country where hundreds of millions of people live below the bread line and for many families, moving to the big cities is the only option.

City planners seem to have accepted that building a world-class financial capital is more important than catering to this influx - although few are bold enough to say this openly.

"We firmly believe that this is likely to be the way not just for Dharavi, but for the rest of India's slums and the world's slums," says Mukesh Mehta.

After all, he says, decades of aid and socialist planning have done little to remove slums. "Give me a better solution," he demands. "Until then you might want to accept this one."

sammyk

August 24th, 2008, 09:23 AM

there is no problem to remove the hill.

I didn't think it would be but the fellow above thought it would be a major hurdle. I was curious as to why he thought that.

dvk1982

August 26th, 2008, 06:21 AM

updates on Dharavi proj...

A s Dharavi, Asia’s largest shanty town, inches to- wards a Rs13,000-crore makeover, its planned transi- tion from a squatter settle- ment of 55,000 families to an urban showpiece—with tow- ering apartments in well- planned blocks and contem- porary workplaces—will be overseen by a new chief exec- utive officer. Gautam Chatterjee, an Indi- an Administrative Service offi- cer of the 1982 batch, has been handpicked to head the Dharavi Development Author- ity by the Maharashtra gov- ernment to speed up the project after two of his prede- cessors quit in the last two years. Chatterjee was the first di- rector of the Prime Minister’s Grant Project (PMGP) which spent Rs100 crore for housing projects in Dharavi in the 1980s, and later headed the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) in Mumbai for three years. Jockin Arputham, head of the National Slumdwellers Federation and a Magsaysay Award winner, who has been an activist in Dharavi for 20 years, says Chatterjee’s big- gest strength is his familiarity with each bylane of the area and his concern for its people. Over the years, Dharavi, once a fishermen’s settle- ment, has turned into a colony of immigrants who live across 535 acres, less than a kilo- metre away from the Bandra- Kurla business complex. Chatterjee, 52, says “Dhar- avi is a city within a city.” Dharavi has been the subject of global attention with Du- bai-based real estate firm Limitless, Africa Israel Invest- ments Ltd and Lehman Broth- ers Inc. teaming up with Indi- an developers to bid for rede- velopment that would take seven years to finish. The makeover buzz has al- ready sent up real estate pric- es, with a single bedroom- hall-kitchen now costing more than Rs28 lakh. In his first interview to the media after being appointed CEO of Dharavi Development Authority, Chatterjee talks about the various stumbling blocks in the way of the proj- ect. Edited excerpts: Your predecessors quit abruptly. Is the CEO in a perpetual hot seat, with huge political pressure? There is a lot of pressure to execute the project fast. I don’t pay heed to any other pressure. The project is for the people of Dharavi, who have, over time, bought slum quar- ters to solve their housing problem in Mumbai because they couldn’t afford anything better. They aren’t encroach- ers. They too have paid fat amounts to slumlords to get themselves a 220 sq. ft tene- ment there. The project’s ob- jective is their mass economic upliftment by providing better alternatives of living and busi- ness opportunities. Nineteen consortiums of develop- ers qualified for the bid this Janu- ary and nothing has moved since then. There hasn’t even been a pre-bid meeting. Why? There are a number of on- going crucial surveys such as the baseline socio-economic survey and biometric surveys which will give us exact fig- ures of the number of slum- dwellers eligible for rehabili- tation. Without the survey re- sults, it would be misleading to go ahead with the bidding process because we wouldn’t be able to give the required details to bidders. Weren’t the surveys supposed to be done before floating global tenders? Yes, ideally the bidding conditions for any such proj- ect are based on these survey findings. But I am not hurry- ing the process because the entire project will shape up according to the figures that come out. Later a pre-bid meeting will be called with the short-listed teams. What are the key challenges you face to ensure that the project starts to roll? The single most crucial task is to convince and convey the message to the 55,000 families of Dharavi that the redevelop- ment is for their good and that the government is doing it to scale up their economic abili- ties. (Also), we still don’t have answers to what happens to economic activities that thrive in the area during the redevel- opment. How will they sustain through the construction peri- od when the project is execut- ed? We still have to find an- swers to how certain busi- nesses like pottery, which is generally done in ground-lev- el homes now, can be contin- ued if they are relocated on the 10th floor of a tower. Has there been a gap in communi- cation which has led to protests against the redevelopment? People across all the 85 na- gars within Dharavi need to be mobilized and I shall use all resources available, political and apolitical, to put across the right message. I am talking to the multiple groups that operate here—politicians, so- cial activists, urban planners, government and of course, the people of Dharavi—to get this project going. There are 63 ongoing slum rede- velopment projects in Mumbai. Why is Dharavi special? Dharavi is a city by itself for its sheer size and (size of) its economy and the project needs to be addressed in that light. Its redevelopment is special because it is not re- stricted to plot developments like other slum projects, but here we are modifying devel- opment regulations to give rise to a new city.
[Click To Enlarge]
A s Dharavi, Asia’s largest shanty town, inches towards a Rs13,000-crore makeover, its planned transition from a squatter settlement of 55,000 families to an urban showpiece—with towering apartments in wellplanned blocks and contemporary workplaces—will be overseen by a new chief executive officer.

Gautam Chatterjee, an Indian Administrative Service officer of the 1982 batch, has been handpicked to head the Dharavi Development Authority by the Maharashtra government to speed up the project after two of his predecessors quit in the last two years.

Chatterjee was the first director of the Prime Minister’s Grant Project (PMGP) which spent Rs100 crore for housing projects in Dharavi in the 1980s, and later headed the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) in Mumbai for three years. Jockin Arputham, head of the National Slumdwellers Federation and a Magsaysay Award winner, who has been an activist in Dharavi for 20 years, says Chatterjee’s biggest strength is his familiarity with each bylane of the area and his concern for its people.

Over the years, Dharavi, once a fishermen’s settlement, has turned into a colony of immigrants who live across 535 acres, less than a kilometre away from the BandraKurla business complex.

Chatterjee, 52, says “Dharavi is a city within a city.” Dharavi has been the subject of global attention with Dubai-based real estate firm Limitless, Africa Israel Investments Ltd and Lehman Broth ers Inc. teaming up with Indian developers to bid for redevelopment that would take seven years to finish.

The makeover buzz has already sent up real estate prices, with a single bedroomhall-kitchen now costing more than Rs28 lakh.

In his first interview to the media after being appointed CEO of Dharavi Development Authority, Chatterjee talks about the various stumbling blocks in the way of the project. Edited excerpts:

Your predecessors quit abruptly.

Is the CEO in a perpetual hot seat, with huge political pressure?

There is a lot of pressure to execute the project fast. I don’t pay heed to any other pressure. The project is for the people of Dharavi, who have, over time, bought slum quarters to solve their housing problem in Mumbai because they couldn’t afford anything better. They aren’t encroachers. They too have paid fat amounts to slumlords to get themselves a 220 sq. ft tenement there. The project’s objective is their mass economic upliftment by providing better alternatives of living and business opportunities.

Nineteen consortiums of develop ers qualified for the bid this Janu ary and nothing has moved since then. There hasn’t even been a pre-bid meeting. Why?

There are a number of ongoing crucial surveys such as the baseline socio-economic survey and biometric surveys which will give us exact figures of the number of slumdwellers eligible for rehabilitation. Without the survey results, it would be misleading to go ahead with the bidding process because we wouldn’t be able to give the required details to bidders.

Weren’t the surveys supposed to be done before floating global tenders?

Yes, ideally the bidding conditions for any such project are based on these survey findings. But I am not hurrying the process because the entire project will shape up according to the figures that come out. Later a pre-bid meeting will be called with the short-listed teams.

What are the key challenges you face to ensure that the project starts to roll?

The single most crucial task is to convince and convey the message to the 55,000 families of Dharavi that the redevelopment is for their good and that the government is doing it to scale up their economic abilities.

(Also), we still don’t have answers to what happens to economic activities that thrive in the area during the redevelopment. How will they sustain through the construction period when the project is executed?

We still have to find answers to how certain businesses like pottery, which is generally done in ground-level homes now, can be continued if they are relocated on the 10th floor of a tower.

Has there been a gap in communi cation which has led to protests against the redevelopment?

People across all the 85 nagars within Dharavi need to be mobilized and I shall use all resources available, political and apolitical, to put across the right message. I am talking to the multiple groups that operate here—politicians, social activists, urban planners, government and of course, the people of Dharavi—to get this project going.

There are 63 ongoing slum rede velopment projects in Mumbai.

Why is Dharavi special?

Dharavi is a city by itself for its sheer size and (size of) its economy and the project needs to be addressed in that light. Its redevelopment is special because it is not restricted to plot developments like other slum projects, but here we are modifying development regulations to give rise to a new city.

IndiaRocks

August 26th, 2008, 06:47 AM

^^@dvk1982

Welcome to the forum.

Please remember to ALWAYS quote the source of any news article.

dvk1982

August 26th, 2008, 07:39 AM

^^@dvk1982

Welcome to the forum.

Please remember to ALWAYS quote the source of any news article.

My mistake....

article from livemint (from ex employees of wall street journal)

bhopalus

August 27th, 2008, 03:31 AM

Dharavi looks neat. It's unique. Sad to see it go. Dharavi, along with Bollywood, put Mumbai on the world map.

um.... was this a lol?

bhopalus

August 27th, 2008, 07:46 AM

lol ok

what do people mean when they mention this "ugly woman"? i dont get it

India101

September 9th, 2008, 02:37 PM

whoa!Dharavi much bigger than i thought.So their going to build homes for almost 1million people.

vidya

September 26th, 2008, 09:04 AM

Dharavi looks neat. It's unique. Sad to see it go. Dharavi, along with Bollywood, put Mumbai on the world map.

yes i do agree with kolkatausa .... Dharavi I think is one of the most famous places in the world. And as he said that it has put mumbai on world map is absolutely right.

My few friends always travel to beautiful cities like london, sydney, newyork... they say that during landing if we look down we cannot find out which city is this. but landing in mumbai ... and looking down the at" Dharavi" one can easily find out its is mumbai. its a land mark of mumbai

KB335ci2

September 26th, 2008, 09:51 AM

I agree that Dharavi is an integral part of Bombay, and does lend its character to the city. But cummon, I'd rather have something else to look at than slums on my way into Bombay. Wouldn't you?

Curry4Ever

September 26th, 2008, 12:52 PM

^^^^^^
The point is not what you'd like to see on landing. What is being missed here is that the people of this country deserve better. The slum has to go one way or the other.

KB335ci2

September 26th, 2008, 07:43 PM

I'm aware of what the people of my city, and country deserve. My post was in response to vidya's...
My few friends always travel to beautiful cities like london, sydney, newyork... they say that during landing if we look down we cannot find out which city is this. but landing in mumbai ... and looking down the at" Dharavi" one can easily find out its is mumbai.

qwertyasd

September 27th, 2008, 12:28 AM

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/dharavi-redevp-plan-amended-&-revived/364822/

Is this true? 300 sq ft. Are they finally happy?

Mumbai, September 22 Suggestions from stakeholders incorporated; 300 sq ft homes for dwellers; work from next year

After running into a series of roadblocks, the Rs 9,300-crore Dharavi Redevelopment Project is finally back on course with the government finalising a revised schedule for the much-delayed bidding process.

bhargavsura

September 27th, 2008, 01:27 AM

yes i do agree with kolkatausa .... Dharavi I think is one of the most famous places in the world. And as he said that it has put mumbai on world map is absolutely right.

My few friends always travel to beautiful cities like london, sydney, newyork... they say that during landing if we look down we cannot find out which city is this. but landing in mumbai ... and looking down the at" Dharavi" one can easily find out its is mumbai. its a land mark of mumbai

What?

So you want people to come to know its Mumbai if Mumbai has slums? LOL.... Whatever happens, don't become a leader.... DHARAVI is a BLOT on Bombay's development. Just as Curry4Ever said, it has to go... There is no second option and no compromising. People have done that enough..

And people won't find out what city they are landing in? Hello.. if its going to Mumbai to London, the first place to Land will be London and not Paris or Sydney or New York?

Curry4Ever

September 27th, 2008, 06:27 AM

I'm aware of what the people of my city, and country deserve. My post was in response to vidya's...

And my post was in response to your's. Whats important is not what you'd like to see on landing but what the people living in Dharavi deserve. Different points of view thats all.

bhopalus

September 27th, 2008, 08:00 AM

Dharavi redevp plan amended & revived (http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/dharavi-redevp-plan-amended-&-revived/364822/)

Mumbai, September 22 Suggestions from stakeholders incorporated; 300 sq ft homes for dwellers; work from next year

After running into a series of roadblocks, the Rs 9,300-crore Dharavi Redevelopment Project is finally back on course with the government finalising a revised schedule for the much-delayed bidding process.

According to MHADA vice-president Gautam Chatterjee, also officer on special duty for the project, the tentative timeline has been approved, in principle, by Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh as well: The 19 shortlisted consortiums of global realty majors will be issued amended bid documents by the end of September; will present their masterplans by mid-October; following a deliberative process regarding each bid’s technical merits, financial bids will be opened before November-end.

“If we can adhere to this timeline,” said Chatterjee, “we should have the winning bids in a month from then.” Work would then begin by early 2009.

The project aims at rehousing 57,000 slum families in free homes, to be built by investing real estate developers who then exploit the FSI of 4 for commercial realty development.

“We have managed to build consensus among all stakeholders,” said Chatterjee, referring to a series of meetings held with various opponents and critics of the project, including former bureaucrats, architects, planners as well as political parties.

“The last couple of months have seen intense interaction between the Slum Rehabilitation Authority, Dharavi Redevelopment Project and stakeholders, which has yielded some very positive results,” said project management consultant Mukesh Mehta.

Some details of the scheme have now been tweaked: The minimum size of all flats for slumdwellers is now 300 sq ft; those who currently own more than 300 sq ft will be eligible for 400 sq ft homes if they pay construction cost for the excess 100 sq ft.

Also, to mitigate the widespread fear that the monthly outgoings on a flat in a highrise would be unaffordable, the government will match the Rs 20,000 per flat to be contributed to the maintenance corpus fund by the developer with another Rs 20,000. “This will help create greater resources at the start — Rs 40,000 per flat — for maintenance,” Chatterjee added.

The amended bid documents also make it mandatory for bidders to demarcate spaces for economic activities — Dharavi is a hub for manufacture of leather goods, food products, clothing, artificial jewellery and a large recycling industry. Also incorporated in the amendments are a conceptual masterplan, technical specifications of amenities and mandatory infrastructural development.

In a slum large and congested, the government will permit only minimal residential space development in the non-rehabilitation component. That means the largest chunk of the new Dharavi’s realty development will contribute to creating commercial space. “These too will be on the periphery of Dharavi, and will be located closer to transportation hubs and nodes,” said Chatterjee.

vidya

September 27th, 2008, 09:14 AM

Development of Asia’s biggest slum Dharavi in Mumbai is facing a fresh new hurdle.

Residents demanding 400-sq-ft tenements in the slum took to the streets on Tuesday against a decision to restrict their dwellings to a space of 300-sq-ft.
The slum is the focus of a looming showdown as municipal authorities and developers seek to raze it to the ground and replace it with office towers, luxury apartments and shopping malls.

Families that can prove they have lived in Dharavi since 1995 would be entitled to a free apartment in the same area, but the new dwellings would be tiny, just 300 sq. ft, about the size of a living room.

The state’s main opposition Shiv Sena party said they would continue their protest till their demand is met.

The project to re-develop the roughly two-square-km warren of brick and corrugated iron rooms into a high-rise housing and commercial complex is expected to take at least seven years to complete and could eventually be worth up to ten billion dollars in property sales.’’

Dharavi has about 5,000 single-room factories and hundreds of cottage industries that together have a turnover of an estimated one billion dollars.

Source : exchange4projects (http://www.exchange4projects.com/REALEST/dharavi-slum-dwellers-protest-for-bigger-flats)

jubin

September 29th, 2008, 05:43 AM

Global credit crunch could stall Dharavi project (http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/ArticleText.aspx?article=29_09_2008_001_020&kword=&mode=1&Archtype=)

THE STATE government’s ambitious plan to re-develop Dharavi could stall because property firms that have bid for the project said the global financial crisis had made it very hard for them to raise money .
Although builders did not go as far as to say they would pull out of the project, they said they were waiting and watching.

The Dharavi project envisions that property firms will build new homes for the 500acre slum’s residents. The firms are expected to fund this through money they will raise by selling new commercial buildings they will be allowed to construct on the same plot. The project is expected to cost Rs 15,000 crore.

The 19 firms that made it through the first, technical round of bidding are to submit financial bids in November. Five firms will finally be chosen.

Several big real estate firms are in contention, such as DLF, the Emaar-MGF and Sobha Developers. Mumbai-based HDIL, whose global partner is US investment bank Lehman Brothers which went bankrupt earlier this month, is one of the bidders.

“It will be difficult to raise the money,” said a developer who has bid for the project, who did not wish to be named. “Banks have stopped lending us money .

The government plans to allow the winning five firms to start construction in December. Before that, the firms will have to raise money, either by borrowing or through equity. But the collapse of leading US financial institutions over the past two weeks has caused credit in global financial markets to dry up and the price of money to soar.

“I cannot reveal their names, but many builders were already being borrowing at annual interest rates of up to 28 and 30 per cent to fund shortfalls,” said Pranay Vakil, chairman Knight Frank, a global property consultant. “Now faced with the global credit crunch, how are bidders for the Dharavi project going to raise funds?” He said raising money through IPOs was also not a viable option, given the mood in the stock market.

Indian real estate stocks have tumbled after this month’s buyout of Merill Lynch and collapse of the Lehman brothers, the world’s thirdand fourth-largest investment banks. Vakil said that venture capital funds were also going slow on investing in real estate firms.

With financial markets crashing, so have house sales, which may have generated some cash.

“This is a wrong time,” said a builder at the forefront of slum rehabilitation in Mumbai. “It will hugely affect the project. If they have waited for so long, why can’t they wait till mid-next year?” The state, however, does not plan to change its schedule. “We will get realistic bids,” predicted Gautam Chatterjee, CEO of the state’s Dharavi Redevelopment Project.

A few builders are also not as pessimistic as the rest of their fraternity. One builder felt the crisis was temporary. “The market is in turmoil,” he said. “But I am hopeful that it will look better by the year-end, when the project starts.” What goes down will come up, said Anuj Puri of JLL Meghraj, a real estate consultancy. “The new buildings in Dharavi will come on the market only after three to seven years,” he said. “The big boys will realise this.”

vidya

October 11th, 2008, 08:58 AM

Maharashtra Housing & Area Development Authority (MHADA) is planning major changes in the bidding document for the Rs.10,000 crore Dharavi redevelopment project. According to the new conditions, the height of building will be G+7 and in some exceptional cases G+10 structures will be allowed.

Many bidders, including some international real estate players, participated in the bidding process, hoping to exploit the state government's decision to give four FSI (Floor Space Index, which indicates permissible construction on any plot). The size of each tenement to be given to slum dwellers has also been increased from 225 to 269 sq.ft.

Source : exchange4projects (http://www.exchange4projects.com/REALEST/changes-in-bidding-document-for-dharavi-project)

zenith_suv

October 11th, 2008, 10:48 AM

G+10 structures will be allowed only in the exceptional case of a building have 25 mt or more of adjoining open spaces and the chances of that are bleak at best.

This is really going to upset the developers as a major reason for the great interest in this project was that until now no restriction on height was there .

phaedrus

October 11th, 2008, 05:13 PM

all you hear about the redevelopment project are delays and changes. wtf!

vidya

October 13th, 2008, 09:55 AM

bhargavsura

October 14th, 2008, 04:19 AM

http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/Web/HTMumbai/Article/2008/10/14/005/14_10_2008_005_010.jpg

Source: Hindustan Times

niknak

October 14th, 2008, 04:35 AM

I think this is Mumbai's chance at a Pudong. What do you guys think?

daaceisbak

October 14th, 2008, 11:21 AM

qwertyasd

October 14th, 2008, 10:39 PM

Even after so many years I can still smell that sewer on the right of that picture....as the train would cross that bridge from mahim and leap towards bandra, all sweaty arm pitts would seaze to exist inside the carriage ...that cold pungent air....gee im getting nostolgic. I hope the DLF group bags this project, they seem the best bet.

Didnt you read the article? 5 top bidders get five different sections of Dharavi to work on. So, even if DLF is the top bidder, it does not get whole of Dharavi to develop.

bhargavsura

October 15th, 2008, 12:21 AM

January 2009 is the beginning date of construction.

Wait in January for another extension or problem delayed date.

phaedrus

October 15th, 2008, 05:36 PM

^^ not to mention increased carpet area of the houses.

RatJones

October 17th, 2008, 05:01 PM

They should be happy with the increased space and infastructure they're already going to be getting. You wouldn't see these sorts of problems in China.

shivy

October 17th, 2008, 09:16 PM

thats why I am a communist, :) No problems like this in a communist nation. I mean sure people dont really have rights, but whatever

dvk1982

October 19th, 2008, 06:06 PM

thats why I am a communist, :) No problems like this in a communist nation. I mean sure people dont really have rights, but whatever

The probloem is both the things get done pretty quickly and almost unchallenged... either good or bad... when u have pro-development leader its good all depends on one or 2 guys... that being said.... last 20 years china is on this path....

RatJones

October 20th, 2008, 02:14 AM

The probloem is both the things get done pretty quickly and almost unchallenged... either good or bad... when u have pro-development leader its good all depends on one or 2 guys... that being said.... last 20 years china is on this path....

Yes China is on this path in the last 20 years however we need to bridge the gap as much as we can, maybe cut it to 10 years within the next 5 years as without the infrastructual and grassroots developments the gap will only widen with time. I agree however that communism is not the right way.

dreadathecontrols

October 22nd, 2008, 07:33 PM

whats the name of the road in the pic pls?

KB335ci2

October 23rd, 2008, 10:20 PM

^^
Sulochana Shetty road

dreadathecontrols

October 25th, 2008, 12:14 AM

Cheers

Unconsciousfocus

January 10th, 2009, 01:27 PM

For quite some time the Indian establishment has been speaking about its intentions to turn Mumbai into an ultra-modern city comparable to Shanghai, with the best available infrastructure for the use of its citizens. Such efforts, however, are sure to come to naught unless urgent measures are taken to address Dharavi. Dharavi is a district in central Mumbai. Sandwiched between Mahim in the west and Sion in the east, it is Asia’s second largest slum after the Orangi Township in Karachi, Pakistan. Spread over an area of 175 hectares, Dharavi has a population of more than 1million people.... (http://www.siliconeer.com/past_issues/2008/april2008/apr08-makeover-for-dharavi.html)

Any news on the construction which was supposed to begin this month?

IndiansUnite

January 11th, 2009, 02:02 AM

^ The project hasn't yet been awarded.

The latest according to this (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/Slowdown_puts_Dharavi_plan_on_shaky_ground/articleshow/3928562.cms) -

2 out of 19 consortia have backed out. That leaves 17 consortia in the fray battling for 5 sectors.

The original bid document required all the 19 bidders to pay 10% of the project cost upfront in the form of a bank draft.The bidders have requested that the rule about paying the first 10% of the project cost be relaxed. "They have also requested that they be allowed to pay the premium through a bank guarantee instead of a bank draft,'' a Mhada official said.

Next meeting b/w the consortia and Mhada will be held in February.

Unconsciousfocus

January 11th, 2009, 02:11 AM

^^thx, good that they are working on it..

Cov Boy

January 12th, 2009, 01:59 PM

Thanx for the update.

jubin

February 4th, 2009, 08:59 PM

Dharavi project gets an expert panel (http://http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/dharavi-project-gets-an-expert-panel/416386/)

Mumbai An expert committee has been set up to advise the government on planning, management and implementation of the Dharavi makeover project. The 11-member committee comprising architects, city planners, activists and former bureaucrats has been approved by Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.

The panel includes former chief secretary D M Sukhtankar, former IAS officer Sunder Burra, urban planner Vidyadhar Phatak, architect Shirish Patel, housing expert Chandrashekhar Prabhu, architects Arvind and Neera Adarkar, director of the Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute of Architecture Aniruddh Paul, Society for the Promotion of Area Research Centres (SPARC) Director Sheela Patel and SPARC founder and National Slum Dwellers Federation convener Jockin Arputham.

The convener of the committee will be Gautam Chatterjee, officer on special duty for the Rs 15,000-cr Dharavi Redevelopment Project.

The panel will advise the state government on aspects like setting up of transit camps, layout of rehabilitation tenements, facilities to be provided to such buildings, the civic infrastructure to be provided to the five sectors planned in the project and how it would be linked to the infrastructure in the city.

The committee will also advise the government on ensuring environmental sustainability of the project, besides aspects like the baseline social and economic surveys, laying down eligibility criteria for rehabilitation, complaint redressal, legal and commercial matters, setting up of co-operative housing societies for the rehabilitated buildings and a federation of such institutions, laying down responsibilities and ensuring co-ordination between various state government agencies during the execution of the project. The panel would also advise the government on measures to be taken to protect and maintain living standards of locals.

bhargavsura

February 12th, 2009, 06:17 AM

Dharavi makeover project: builders start presenting plans

Underlining the idea that a makeover project for Dharavi is still a sound business project, the first of the 19 shortlisted consortia in the fray for the Rs 15,000-crore redevelopment scheme on Tuesday presented their masterplans to Government officials and a panel of experts.

The masterplan presentations precede a deliberative process regarding each plan’s technical merits, which will be followed by the opening of the financial bids. With the election code of conduct expected to kick in during the review process, the opening of financial bids and awarding of contracts are now unlikely to take place until the general elections are over.

Two consortia, DB Realty and a combine of Emaar-MGF, presented their masterplans on the first of a 10-day process, said sources at the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA).

The presentations were made to a team headed by MHADA chief Gautam Chatterjee, also officer on special duty for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, and members of the expert committee set up to advise the government on planning, management and implementation of the project. The 11-member committee comprises architects, city planners, activists and former bureaucrats including former chief secretary D M Sukhtankar, former IAS officer Sunder Burra, urban planner Vidyadhar Phatak, architect Shirish Patel, housing expert Chandrashekhar Prabhu and others.

“It was a very good beginning,” said Chatterjee, “since both presentations addressed the key issues we hoped would be dealt with. The integration of Dharavi to the mainstream, the need to be sensitive to the economic activities within Dharavi and the need for an eco-sensitive plan were all addressed in today’s presentations.”

Contrary to expectations that several developers are backing out owing to poor market conditions, at least 14 of the 19 have confirmed participation at the presentations, sources added. “Entry prices in Dharavi are still very low, and sale prices are expected to match those in adjoining Bandra-Kurla Complex, where prices are good despite the slump,” said one real estate developer.

Already, the government has tackled bidders’ reservations on some of the preconditions that involve raising credit immediately. For example, officials are looking at reducing the bank guarantees and upfront payments to be made by selected builders. The minimum premium bidders must quote has been fixed at Rs 450 per sq ft of built-up area. That translates into a few hundred crores per sector to be channeled into government coffers, considerably lower than the earlier expected total premium of several thousand crores.

The Dharavi Redevelopment Project aims to rehouse approximately 57,000 slum families in free homes, to be built by investing real estate developers who can exploit the special FSI of 4 for additional commercial development.

Source: Indian Express

zenith_suv

February 24th, 2009, 09:51 AM

If this project becomes a success within the next 5 years or so , it'll provide a classic model for slum removal from all over the country (all urban center's at least).

Have the presentations of the bidders been completed as yet.

RatJones

February 24th, 2009, 03:16 PM

[QUOTE=zenith_suv;32758258]If this project becomes a success within the next 5 years or so , it'll provide a classic model for slum removal from all over the country (all urban center's at least).

Hallejua!:banana:

bhargavsura

February 24th, 2009, 04:10 PM

You know what?

There is a high possibility of Dharavi being termed as "Icon of the country" (Desh ka Anmol Ratan) after winning the oscars for Slumdog by the politicians who always will try to find a way to woo the voters. If they do it, people will not want to get out of the "Icon".

Anyways, I am not seeing development of Dharavi for the next 10-15 years.

bhargavsura

February 24th, 2009, 07:13 PM

The following isn't in Dharavi, but close enough!

MHADA flats for Mumbai's Slumdog kids
Mumbai:

The Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC) president Kripashankar Singh has recommended the chief minister that two child actors of Slumdog Millionaire be given flats under MHADA's two per cent quota.

MHADA chairman Amarjitsingh Manhas has also written to MHADA CEO Gautam Chatterjee recommending that Azharuddin Ismail and Rubina Qureshi be given MHADA flats.

"I am meeting the Chief Minister Ashok Chavan this evening, where I will request him to grant the flats to the two kids," said Kripashankar Singh. The kids are presently residing in the Garib Nagar slums in Bandra.

"We have to look after the future of the children who have brought laurels to the country," said Singh.

"It is a monumental occassion for India that Slumdog Millionaire has won eight Oscars, but it pains to see that these children will go back to living in the slums" Manhas added.

According to Manhas, giving homes to these under priviledged children will encourage others to perform in different fields and bring laurels to the country.

Singh will meet the Chief Minister Shri Ashokrao Chavan at 9.30 pm on Tuesday and initiate the process.

Source: Mid-day

niknak

February 24th, 2009, 08:54 PM

I used to believe that this plan had some potential. But now, I know this plan is not going to happen.

For whom is this redevelopment being done? It's certainly not being done for the people of Dharavi. And these 800,000 people are not simply going to watch their housing being demolished in order for a new cricket stadium to come up.

I think Dharavi should be redeveloped, and I don't like Dharavi as it is right now. But I think this plan has no potential whatsoever. I will bet a million dollars that in 2 years, this plan will have failed.

I think someone needs to develop a plan by bringing together slum politicians and leaders, slum NGOs, city politicians, and urban planners and architects. I don't think someone who built luxury homes in NYC and now lives on Napean Sea Road can or should head this project. How about someone who's actually from Dharavi!

IndiansUnite

February 25th, 2009, 02:33 AM

^...And the typical whiny posts from you continue.

For whom is this redevelopment being done? It's certainly not being done for the people of Dharavi. And these 800,000 people are not simply going to watch their housing being demolished in order for a new cricket stadium to come up.

Cricket stadium? Why would a developer include that to be part of their proposed sector plan? The 5 sectors will have land for commercial development (to lure builders to bid) and include FREE rehousing for all slum dwellers.

But I think this plan has no potential whatsoever. I will bet a million dollars that in 2 years, this plan will have failed.

ok.

I think someone needs to develop a plan by bringing together slum politicians and leaders, slum NGOs, city politicians, and urban planners and architects.

err..that's exactly what's happening. A committee comprising of planners, ex-bueaucrats, activists and architects has been formed (http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/dharavi-project-gets-an-expert-panel/416386/) to overlook the makeover project.

I don't think someone who built luxury homes in NYC and now lives on Napean Sea Road can or should head this project. How about someone who's actually from Dharavi!

and you expect the guy from Dharavi to dictate the developers on how to utilize the land? Just wondering, but do you even know the basic info about how Dharavi's going to be redeveloped? cos from whatever you wrote above, it seems highly unlikely.

niknak

February 25th, 2009, 04:45 AM

First of all, if you don't like my posts, then don't read them! No one is forcing you to read my posts.

Cricket stadium? Why would a developer include that to be part of their proposed sector plan? The 5 sectors will have land for commercial development (to lure builders to bid) and include FREE rehousing for all slum dwellers.

Mukesh Mehta is heading the project. He wants to add a golf course or 120,000 seater cricket stadium (http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0705/feature3/text4.html).

I know that the slum dwellers are going to get "free" housing but have you seen the "free" housing already built in Dharavi by SRA? You think 800,000 people are simply going to smile and watch their homes get demolished and go live in those verticle slums?

and you expect the guy from Dharavi to dictate the developers on how to utilize the land? Just wondering, but do you even know the basic info about how Dharavi's going to be redeveloped? cos from whatever you wrote above, it seems highly unlikely.

So people from Dharavi are stupid and uneducated? People from Dharavi can't decide wut to do with their community? Are people from Dharavi sooo retarded that it's better for outsiders to come in and dictate what's going to be done with their land?

Do you know what a vote bank is? Do you know that 800,000 people have much more influence than you would imagine. Do you really think the people of Dharavi are going to let some rich Manhattan developer demolish their community?

IndiansUnite

February 25th, 2009, 06:32 AM

First of all, if you don't like my posts, then don't read them! No one is forcing you to read my posts.

It gets annoying when all I get to read in most of the infra threads (in the little time that I have) are whines and more whines by the same member.

Mukesh Mehta is heading the project. He wants to add a golf course or 120,000 seater cricket stadium.

He wants to have these recreational facilities but would any of the 5 chosen developers include that in their plan? It's highly doubtful since the developers would like to exploit the max FSI stated in the bidding doc and rake in the moolah. His wants don't play a role in the developer's plans. If you get a chance to grab of a copy of the bidding doc, do let me know where it stipulates that the developer would have to build a cricket stadium or any other facility.

And btw Mukesh Mehta isn't heading the project in the real sense. His proposal to tap private developers' money was accepted by the government which made him the brainchild and the chief project consultant. He is a guy known for going overboard infront of the media and making ludicrous statements which make whatever he says sound like drivel. The golf course and cricket stadium are simply part of drivel.

So people from Dharavi are stupid and uneducated? People from Dharavi can't decide wut to do with their community? Are people from Dharavi sooo retarded that it's better for outsiders to come in and dictate what's going to be done with their land?

Their land? since when?

If you want to put words in my mouth, then so be it. Like it or not, the 5 chosen developers who will dictate the land utilization in their mandated sector. This ofcourse will be overlooked by the committee that was recently constituted. I'm up for someone from Dharavi being part of the committee but directly appointing him/her as the project consultant or head just cos the person if from Dharavi is pushing it.

Do you know what a vote bank is? Do you know that 800,000 people have much more influence than you would imagine.

From ridiculing the plan to having no potential you've brought it down to the votebank. Ofcourse the votebank will play a big role in what finally takes place in Dharavi..Duh. There haven't been any recent political demonstrations and I hope it remains that way.

Do you really think the people of Dharavi are going to let some rich Manhattan developer demolish their community?

Yes they will. If they wouldn't then the Dharavi Development Authority office would have been up in flames when the presentations by the developers began. The only recent protest (besides yours) coming from Dharavi is not against demolishing their community but against the proposed size of the allotted apartment. The government has increased it from 225sq ft to 300 sq ft and has also given the people an option to have a 400 sq ft apartment if they cough up the money.

niknak

February 25th, 2009, 06:59 AM

It gets annoying when all I get to read in most of the infra threads (in the little time that I have) are whines and more whines by the same member.

WELL THEN DON'T READ IT!!!!! I don't tell you what to say, and you are no one to tell me what to say. If you don't like my posts, then simply ignore them and move on with your life.

People in Dharavi have not protested because nothing tangible has been happening about this project. If they send bulldozers tomorrow, I will guarantee you that chaos will erupt. They've already stated that they plan on blocking Mumbai's railways if the bulldozers come.

I guess we can wait and see what happens with this project. But I feel pretty confident that I will be the one to say "I told you so"

Btw, I may suggest that you go visit Dharavi before commenting on the project. You seem pretty out of touch with what the people of Dharavi think. My comments are based on prior experience of going in Dharavi and other slums in Mumbai and volunteering there.

Bombay Boy

February 25th, 2009, 07:29 AM

dharavi should be turned into one big parking lot for all our cars. with bubblegum vending machines. and popcorn. yeah

qwertyasd

February 25th, 2009, 07:29 AM

People in Dharavi have not protested because nothing tangible has been happening about this project. If they send bulldozers tomorrow, I will guarantee you that chaos will erupt. They've already stated that they plan on blocking Mumbai's railways if the bulldozers come.

Either you are blind or are totally out of touch with this project.
Do you even read the posts on this forum or do you just make up your mind right from the start?

If this piece of news is not something tangible happening then nothing is!
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/its-idday-for-pune-ngo-in-dharavi-slums/406156/

There are problems for dharavi development. everybody knows that - we are a democracy and we have to live with the disadvantages that come with it. But, just assuming that the slum-dwellers don't want better houses is just pathetic.

niknak

February 25th, 2009, 07:55 AM

zenith_suv

February 25th, 2009, 01:39 PM

By tangible I mean that not one bulldozer has entered Dharavi so far. I think once the bulldozers enter, then this "Dharavi Redvelopment Project" will be a different story. No one cares if some studies r being conducted. It's when the bulldozers come knocking- that's when we'll see the real action.

Do you seriously believe this redevelopment is being done for the people of Dharavi?

I think this is being done for the large business interests of the city. I'd rather see Dharavi being redeveloped, but I don't think the people are going to approve of this project when it's bulldozer time.

So what do you propose for Dharavi - just your opinion , it'll be very intresting to know that.

If we cant involve the corporates or use bull donzers , what can we do - We've watched silently as these slums have come up and it's our responsibility to eradicate them , besides - any final decision will never be taken without at least 80% of the population there agreeing in principle and in writing.

qwertyasd

February 25th, 2009, 09:51 PM

By tangible I mean that not one bulldozer has entered Dharavi so far. I think once the bulldozers enter, then this "Dharavi Redvelopment Project" will be a different story. No one cares if some studies r being conducted. It's when the bulldozers come knocking- that's when we'll see the real action.

Do you seriously believe this redevelopment is being done for the people of Dharavi?

I think this is being done for the large business interests of the city. I'd rather see Dharavi being redeveloped, but I don't think the people are going to approve of this project when it's bulldozer time.

why this hatred towards corporates? they are also human beings just like you and me. i am sure there are as many bad people in Dharavi as there are in corporations. Does not mean you cannot involve them in redevelopment.

Its a win-win situation - Dharavi residents get their homes and businesses get to make money.

Slum rehab has been going on for a long time now - earlier it was smaller slums that were rehabed - this is the first time that a slum of such a magnitude is being rehabed in one go. Previous rehabs have been successful. Let us see if this one is too. If not, they have to revert back to the distributed tiny rehabs.

Both techniques have advantages and disadvantages - lets see which one prevails.

niknak

February 25th, 2009, 09:52 PM

So what do you propose for Dharavi - just your opinion , it'll be very intresting to know that.

If we cant involve the corporates or use bull donzers , what can we do - We've watched silently as these slums have come up and it's our responsibility to eradicate them , besides - any final decision will never be taken without at least 80% of the population there agreeing in principle and in writing.

We definitely have to involve corporates, but not the way we are right now. Redevelopment is not being done for the people of Dharavi, it's being done for the business interests of the city. Maybe that's why the government has ommited the usual 70% approval.

Unless the people of Dharavi are involved in and in agreement with the decision process, nothing is going to get done. I too want to see a slum free Mumbai. I too get annoyed when I have to walk on the road because there are hawkers or slums on the sidewalk. But look at it realistically. These people hold a lot of power and they're not going to let go of their land unless the redevelopment is being done for them.

Bhargavsura, maybe in the future, I may be involved in this project directly. I don't see any scope of this project working the way it's proposed right now. A proposal that can balance corporate and slumdweller interests may work in the future.

Qwertysd, corporates are not bad. And yes, they are also humans, like you and me. No one's trying to deny that. But if you look at the project the way it's proposed right now, builders, developers, and real estate people will make huge profits. We will have to involve the private sector in something of this magnitude. BUT, it has to be balanced. Shoving 800,000 people into tiny apartments and using the rest of the land for businesses etc. may not be the best idea.

IndiansUnite

February 25th, 2009, 11:47 PM

WELL THEN DON'T READ IT!!!!! I don't tell you what to say, and you are no one to tell me what to say. If you don't like my posts, then simply ignore them and move on with your life.

Where have I told you what to say? LOL. I'm merely highlighting something that I and perhaps other members find annoying. You don't have to get all worked up and bold your message to get it across. Let's both agree that you're annoying and move on. LOL http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/9243/39697241.gif

If they send bulldozers tomorrow, I will guarantee you that chaos will erupt. They've already stated that they plan on blocking Mumbai's railways if the bulldozers come.

If they send bulldozers tomorrow, I will guarantee you that all the affected slum dwellers would have already been moved to a transit camp. I'm sure the SRA wouldn't like to screw the project up by bulldozing their way through.

You seem pretty out of touch with what the people of Dharavi think.

I've read both sides of the argument from Dharavi dwellers. Though the project has been bogged down by beuracracy and other hindrances, it has progressed to the presentation stage and tangible progress (IDing people is considered tangible) has been made on the street as qwertyasd pointed out. While there are people opposed to the project, most of Dharavi seems to be upbeat about it. I'll say it again, the DDA would have been up in flames if the people Dharavi opposed the project.

No one cares if some studies r being conducted.

What a baseless comment. Are you for real? People in the Kumbharwada section and other sections DO care about IDing people and conducting surveys.

Shoving 800,000 people into tiny apartments and using the rest of the land for businesses etc. may not be the best idea.

That's your opinion. Most of the people would be happy living in a 300/400 sq ft apartment with all the basic amenities and cleaner surroundings. Which slum dweller wouldn't?

Like qwertyasd pointed out, previous SR projects have been successful. Even the one by Unitech involving 17k families at Golibar Maidan (Santa Cruz) is going great guns. These projects would definitely give the people of Dharavi more confidence to trust private developers. But invigorating confidence in you would require a miracle, something which I don't give two hoots to.

Suncity

February 26th, 2009, 12:00 AM

Cool down guys.

niknak

February 26th, 2009, 02:05 AM

Ok, this is a waste of time. I've made my point. You guys can think what you want. We'll see what ends up happening. So far this project has kept getting delayed and delayed. If you guys are right and this project does get implemented successfully, we will all be happy, including me. But I look at it realistically. And judging from my experiences, I don't think this project will take off as it is proposed right now.

Btw, I don't need anyone telling me my posts are annoying. Like I said, if you think they're annoying, then please dont read them. I have every right to say what I believe. If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say it. That's the rule I follow. Disagreeing with someone is one thing. Calling someone annoying is another.

barrykul

February 26th, 2009, 02:24 AM

I hope after the fame of Slumdog Millionaire the babus/politicians remove their collective heads from the sewer pit of inaction to one of quick and decisive action. The nation cannot afford the negative image portrayed in the world through a commercial movie. About time for action.

Bombay Boy

February 26th, 2009, 07:26 AM

who gives a f*ck about our image. what we should be worrying about is the problems people face and solve them because we want all humans to live a good, comfortable life not because it looks bad on the movie screen

niknak

March 6th, 2009, 07:26 AM

HDIL opts out, 14 left in fray for Dharavi redevelopment project
The 14 consortia, which are now eligible to bid for the project, went through a two-week process of presenting draft masterplans of how they would redevelop the 535-acre shantytown in Mumbai
Madhurima Nandy
Mumbai: Following weeks of speculation on who’s in and who’s out of the Rs15,000 crore project to redevelop the Dharavi slum in Mumbai, a final list of 14 teams of developers has been compiled—after five teams opted out of the race, including the country’s largest slum redeveloper, Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL).
The 14 consortia, which are now eligible to bid for the project, went through a two-week process of presenting draft masterplans of how they would redevelop the 535-acre shantytown in Mumbai.
Weighing options: Dharavi Development Authority CEO Gautam Chatterjee said interesting aspects emerged from the presentations that the authority will consider while making the final master plan.
Weighing options: Dharavi Development Authority CEO Gautam Chatterjee said interesting aspects emerged from the presentations that the authority will consider while making the final master plan.
HDIL, which partnered with Lehman Brothers Holding Inc., was forced to opt out of the project, after the latter went bankrupt last year. “We were waiting for the HDIL team to make their presentation, which is a mandatory part of the technical evaluation process, but they didn’t respond. So, they are not a part of the project anymore,” said Gautam Chatterjee, chief executive officer of Dharavi Development Authority.
HDIL managing director Sarang Wadhawan, who had previously told Mint that the company will bid for all the five sectors to be redeveloped, even if it is eligible to develop only one, did not respond to calls or email. The company is also executing the massive relocation of 85,000 slum dwellers in Mumbai for a project by Mumbai International Airport Ltd.
Besides the HDIL-Lehman consortium, the other four teams that are not bidding anymore are Limitless Llc., Reliance Engineering Associates Pvt. Ltd-Urban Infrastructure Venture Capital Ltd, Larsen and Toubro Ltd-Godrej Properties Ltd and Hanwha Engineering and Construction Corp. Korea-Potential Group.
Chatterjee admitted that he was not expecting a “great” response owing to the ongoing financial downturn, which has put several developers in a serious liquidity crunch. Current market conditions may also slow the already-delayed project that has to be completed in seven years. “The winning bidders would be co-developers in the project and not mere contractors. So, if they want to go a little slow with the project, we will consider their opinion.”
The project, that promises to convert a giant cluster of shanties to a throbbing business district with modern housing, initially had attracted the interest of 19 shortlisted consortia, of which 14 are still in the running.
“Despite the economic conditions, (the) Dharavi (project) is still a viable business model, which is why we are still going ahead with it. The fact that it is a crucial project that will change the face of Mumbai is also a reason why we want to be associated with it,” said Abhisheck Lodha, director of Lodha Group, which has tied up with a Malaysian construction company LBS Bina Group Berhad as a technical partner. Lodha Group is planning to bid for two-three sectors out of the five in the project.
After the presentations have been made before a committee of experts comprising architects and urban planners, each team was given instant feedback and asked to incorporate them in their draft masterplans.
Chatterjee said a number of interesting aspects emerged from many of the presentations that the authority will consider while making the final master plan. “There are a number of international architects working with the teams, which gave rise to interesting ways of sewage treatment, rainwater harvesting and power conservation. There have also been suggestions of a monorail network connecting Dharavi and a road-over-road in the area for better exit and entry routes, which we will seriously work upon,” he said.
The real hurdle will be the financial evaluation process, after which final five teams will be selected, where each team will develop one sector, said property consultants. “Technical evaluation is always easy, but qualifying for the financial bids is the challenge. In such conditions, I think many of these teams would opt out eventually unless the government really lowers the bid amount and goes ahead with a project. Unless they have a very strong financial partner, even developers such as DLF and Unitech (cannot) execute this project when they themselves are in trouble,” said a property analyst with a Mumbai real-estate advisory, who didn’t want to be named.

ir desi

March 6th, 2009, 10:34 PM

IU, it's not worth arguing with the whiner. His posts go down one of the old paths of poor debate logic, which is "I make an unsupported point, say ignore my point if you don't like it, and finally, because i can't win with facts assert my presupposed superiority and say you're not worth my time". Well indeed, with this guy, it seems to happen every time.

vidya

March 13th, 2009, 12:25 PM

Well Four out of 19 shortlisted firms have decided to take an exit from the Rs.15,000 crore Dharavi redevelopment project (DRP) in Mumbai. ..... Read More (http://www.exchange4projects.com/AIRPT/four-firms-opt-out-of-dharavi-redevelopment-project)

Marathaman

March 16th, 2009, 06:22 AM

munda

March 16th, 2009, 07:21 AM

Niknak is right. The current proposal is not feasible. You can't simply relocate 800,000 people into tiny apartments on the outskirts of Mumbai. The Dharavi people will never agree in the first place.

This is where if we had built metro trains, bullet trains and good roads at right time that is would have diminished the distance between the center and outskirts of the city would have made a huge difference.

qwertyasd

March 16th, 2009, 10:26 AM

Niknak is right. The current proposal is not feasible. You can't simply relocate 800,000 people into tiny apartments on the outskirts of Mumbai. The Dharavi people will never agree in the first place.

:nuts::nuts::nuts:

i thought they were being resettled in Dharavi itself? I thought all SRA projects accepted that as standard resettlement plans. I have seen a number of projects in the eastern suburbs where slum dwellers are resettled at the sam place in a new building. The space saved is used to construct another building for the builder's profits.

qwertyasd

March 16th, 2009, 10:28 AM

And i have confirmed that from this site.
http://www.sra.gov.in/htmlpages/Dharavi.htm

2. Development Plan:
According to SRA norms, the slum dweller whose name appear in the voters list as on 01.01.1995 & who is actual occupant of the hutment is eligible for rehabilitation. Each family will be allotted a self contained house of 225 sq.ft. carpet area free of cost. The eligible slum dwellers appearing in Annexure II certified by the Competent Authority will be included in the Rehabilitation scheme. Eligible slum dwellers will be given rehab tenement in Dharavi.

3. Transit Tenements:
During the implementation of this project, Dharavi residents will be provided with transit tenements, in close proximity of Dharavi or in Dharavi itself. The developer will bear the cost on account of rent of the transit tenements but the cost of expenditure of consumables like water, electricity, telephone etc. will have to be borne by the slum dwellers

Not only the final settlement but also transit settlement will be in Dharavi! I have no idea what you are talking about. Please check your facts. And dont spread rumors. Its already difficult to get this rehab plan going!

qwertyasd

March 16th, 2009, 10:42 AM

Also, for all the naysayers, reading this would be useful.

http://dharavi-survey.in/

The survey is almost over - except for Kumbharwada and Koliwada - the reasons for which are mentioned if you read the website carefully.

They have started distributing i-cards.

Marathaman

March 18th, 2009, 06:55 PM

:nuts::nuts::nuts:

i thought they were being resettled in Dharavi itself? I thought all SRA projects accepted that as standard resettlement plans. I have seen a number of projects in the eastern suburbs where slum dwellers are resettled at the sam place in a new building. The space saved is used to construct another building for the builder's profits.

If that's true then I'm sorry. The last article I read about it mentioned that the apartments were to be built in the suburbs.

Even then, there should be some effort to ensure that the residents do no lose their livelihood because of the redevelopment.

A survey of the industries being run (both illegal and legal) be made, and alternative arrangements should be made for the legal ones. The people working in illegal industries should be trained to work legally.

The ultimate goal of Dharavi Redevelopment, I hope, is to reduce the number of slums in Mumbai, and not simply to remove the slums and relocate them to another part of the city (effectively).

qwertyasd

March 18th, 2009, 10:51 PM

If that's true then I'm sorry. The last article I read about it mentioned that the apartments were to be built in the suburbs.

Even then, there should be some effort to ensure that the residents do no lose their livelihood because of the redevelopment.

A survey of the industries being run (both illegal and legal) be made, and alternative arrangements should be made for the legal ones. The people working in illegal industries should be trained to work legally.

The ultimate goal of Dharavi Redevelopment, I hope, is to reduce the number of slums in Mumbai, and not simply to remove the slums and relocate them to another part of the city (effectively).

i agree with you but there is a question of policy - should you let the polluting industries continue or should you move them out? Pottery and other non-polluting industries can continue in a new complex.

mihir1310

June 24th, 2009, 01:37 AM

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_state-to-finalise-dharavi-bidders_1267940

State to finalise Dharavi bidders

Rajshri Mehta / DNA

The state government will finalise on July 20 the names of the five consortiums that will redevelop the 144-hectare slum colony in Dharavi.

Fourteen consortiums led by real estate developers, including DB Realty, Oberoi Constructions, Emaar, HDIL and Indiabulls, have submitted technical bids for the Rs10,000-crore Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP).

The government had paved the way for the redevelopment last week by approving the master plan prepared by architect Mukesh Mehta, the project consultant, with minor modifications. It had, however, disregarded the suggestions made by the expert committee it had set up under retired state chief secretary DM Sukhtankar to study the DRP.

According to the latest master plan, there would be a gap of 12 metres between two buildings instead of the earlier proposed six metres so as to allow more light and ventilation. Also, slum-dwellers now occupying more than 300 sq ft can get 400 sq ft flats on paying the construction cost for the additional 100 sq ft space in the new flats.

The new master plan also states that the one-time maintenance amount to be paid to slum-dwellers getting the new flats will be increased from Rs20,000 to Rs40,000. Earlier, only the developers were to pay Rs20,000 per flat to those being rehabilitated. Now, the government will chip in with another Rs20,000 per flat.

Members of the Sukhtankar committee, however, have reiterated their objections against Mehta’s plan. They said that the plan should have avoided cars and high-rises.

In view of the global economic slowdown, the government has decided to reduce the security deposit and performance security the successful developers will be required to pay.

mihir1310

June 24th, 2009, 01:46 AM

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_dharavi-to-get-a-sports-complex_1267211

Dharavi to get a sports complex

Ninad Siddhaye / DNAMonday, June 22, 2009 1:30 IST

Mumbai: Sports persons across the metropolitan region have something to cheer about. The Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) will construct a state-of-the-art multipurpose sports complex in Dharavi. Work for the complex, which will provide facilities for indoor and outdoor games, will begin from Tuesday and will be completed in the next 18 months.
Ratnakar Gaikwad, metropolitan commissioner of MMRDA, said the authority would hand over the sports complex to the state sports department.

"The complex will be constructed on an area of 12,427 sq metre (approximately three acres) plot on the Sion-Dharavi Link Road and will have a jogging track and all the facilities needed for sports persons. It will have areas especially for games like kabaddi and kho-kho. It will also provide indoor sports facilities for games like badminton, table tennis, squash and billiards," Gaikwad told DNA.

He added that the proposal was accepted by the MMRDA in February 2000.

SR Nandgirikar, chief engineer, MMRDA, said the complex would also have a hostel for men and women. "It will also have a semi-Olympic swimming pool and learners' pool and two indoor halls which can be used for various sporting activities. The total cost for the project is Rs8.25 crore," said Nandgirikar.

The work contract has been awarded to API constructions and the Bhoomipoojan for the project is expected to take place on June 23.

bhargavsura

June 24th, 2009, 04:26 AM

http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/Web/HTMumbai/Article/2009/06/24/005/24_06_2009_005_003.jpg

Source: Hindustan Times

RockyBalboa

June 24th, 2009, 09:00 AM

vote-bank politics....
WTH do they need to increase the rehab date to 2000 instead of the earlier 1995........
think slums look nice to them eh!!

bhargavsura

June 24th, 2009, 09:10 AM

Wait until 2020, we would never ever see Dharavi project accomplished.

RockyBalboa

June 24th, 2009, 06:16 PM

saw an article in The Times Of India dated 24th Jun 2009

i think its gonna take some more time!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Mumbai/State-undecided-over-Dharavi-locals-rehab/articleshow/4694328.cms

Source: The Times Of India

mihir1310

June 30th, 2009, 12:11 AM

Uniform plan for Dharavi developers

MUMBAI: With barely a month to go before the final bids are opened for the redevelopment of Asia's largest slum, the Dharavi Redevelopment Project has prepared a Standardised Master Plan (SMP), which the 14 shortlisted builders are required to follow.

On July 20, the bids will be opened at the Slum Rehabilitation Authority office in Bandra (E) to select

five of these 14 developers to execute the Rs 15,000-crore project to rehouse 59,000 families living in Dharavi. The slum enclave has been divided into five zones and only one developer will be appointed to redevelop each zone.

Although Dharavi is over 550 acres in size, the area that has been earmarked for the project is about 375 acres.

Early this week, the 14 shortlisted developers were handed over a detailed SMP prepared by the project consultant, Mukesh Mehta, who was recently in the eye of a storm after a state government-appointed panel of experts punched holes in his plans.

The SMP, a copy of which was made available to TOI, has been tweaked to ensure that all developers operate on similar guidelines for design and construction of the buildings.

It gives a more detailed, micro layout of the project-this includes what the height of the rehabilitation buildings should be, how they should be constructed and the pedestrian and transport plan for the area.

The height of the buildings in which slum families are to be rehoused will now be between 12 and 18 storeys. While some developers had insisted that the buildings be as high as 24 floors, the committee of experts suggested they be not more than seven or eight storeys tall. source TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/Uniform-plan-for-Dharavi-developers/articleshow/4708144.cms)

Extra FSI on pvt plots in Dharavi
Mumbai:

Owners of private land pockets in Dharavi that have so far been kept out of the purview of the Rs 15,000 crore Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP), can now avail of higher vertical limit in case they decide to be part of the project.

A month before the financial bids for the project are set to be opened, the state government has decided to amend the development control rules so that privately-owned land pockets totalling five hectares can get a Floor Space Index (FSI) of 4, which is at par with the clusters of slums that are part of the project.

As of now, the private plots have a FSI cap of 1.33 as is the norm in the rest of the island city. “If these plot owners join the project, their plots would not stand out incongruously when the rest of Dharavi is developed later. The state will give them an additional FSI of 2.66 over and above the prevailing FSI. However, landlords will have to purchase this FSI by paying a premium that will go to the Dharavi Development Authority,” said a senior state government official.source . IE. (http://www.indianexpress.com/news/extra-fsi-on-pvt-plots-in-dharavi/482588/)

bhargavsura

June 30th, 2009, 12:13 AM

And if the work by all the five developers due to bureacracy issue, things will be in huge mess.

mihir1310

June 30th, 2009, 12:15 AM

And if the work by all the five developers due to bureacracy issue, things will be in huge mess.

Lets hope for the best

niknak

June 30th, 2009, 01:09 AM

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_dharavi-to-get-a-sports-complex_1267211

Dharavi to get a sports complex

I love this! Take away the small homes that these poor people have built to construct a sports complex?

I agree that Dharavi should be redeveloped, but they should build commercial and residential...not a huge sports complex.

Plus, who will be allowed in this sports complex? Will it be open to anyone? Will slum dwellers be kept out? I think so.

If you recall, Mukesh Mehta wanted to build a huge cricket stadium in Dharavi! it's absurd!

IndiansUnite

June 30th, 2009, 02:14 AM

It's coming up on a 3 acre vacant plot next to the Sion-Dharavi Link Road and NOT in the actual slum land, so stop whining http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/1963/whinex.gif

http://www.mmrdamumbai.org/whats_sports.htm

mihir1310

June 30th, 2009, 03:28 AM

there is nothing wrong in it . You dont want to turn a horizontal slum into a vertical one .. Open spaces are a must . So not only stadium , but gardens, promenades MUST be included in the projext

I personally would love to have a City square here a la Trafalgar, Red Square, Tianenmen etc . Since Dharavi is the geographical heart of Mumbai it is the ideal
site for such a place where people can just converge & have a nice time. Or maybe they can place a Huge screen showong live coverage of some sport event ..

TdotTdot

June 30th, 2009, 04:17 AM

Thats a good idea.

qwertyasd

June 30th, 2009, 09:53 PM

mihir1310

July 1st, 2009, 01:02 AM

very good idea! just dont let any tanks in like in tianenmen... :lol::lol::lol:

I shall be more worried about a huge photo of Nehru Gandhi family overlooking the entire square ,than the tanks :ohno:

mihir1310

July 5th, 2009, 01:21 AM

ok i have a question .. The Dharavi project seems to get an FSI of 4 .. How does it turn out in practical terms.
I mean, if you see BKC , there are only mid-level buildings in there . hardly any high rises in there. Will the Dharavi project be able to have skyscrapers & supertalls in it ??

IndiansUnite

July 5th, 2009, 01:54 AM

Yes skyscrapers can be built in Dharavi. For a supertall, the developers would have to seek a higher FSI.

BKC has midrises because the FSI was limited to a poor 2 until last year. Even after the increase to 4, none of the tenants took benefit of it.

India101

July 5th, 2009, 02:58 AM

I thought a supertall would never be built in Dharavi due to it being located right next to the airport. There was a few problems with that supertall project in Wadala because of the airport and Wadala alot further away from the airport than Dharavi.

IndiansUnite

July 5th, 2009, 03:14 AM

Yes that also comes into play. Getting a NOC from the airport authorities would be quite tough if not impossible.

But as far as height restrictions go, It should be all clear from the MMRDA.

mihir1310

July 5th, 2009, 11:51 PM

hmmmmm but if you look closely Dharavi can be an ideal location for a great skyline cos of its location in the island city & the riverfront

animesh_cmc

July 6th, 2009, 04:38 PM

I don't understand why auth. makes such a fuss about skyscrapers being located near airport. In many foreign cities airports are often located near CBDs.

sammyk

July 6th, 2009, 05:08 PM

I don't understand why auth. makes such a fuss about skyscrapers being located near airport. In many foreign cities airports are often located near CBDs.

It just complicates things. Why complicate flight paths and such when you don't have to? In other cities the skyscrapers may have preceded the airport or the airport was much smaller at the time.

bhargavsura

July 8th, 2009, 04:56 AM

Dharavi remake plan a land grab, says panel

MUMBAI: A committee of experts appointed by the state government to look into the planning and implementation of the Dharavi Redevelopment
Project (DRP) has unequivocally termed the Rs 15,000-crore proposal a “sophisticated land grab and one driven by personal greed’’. The members are considering resigning en masse if their objections go unheeded.

Disappointed that previous letters to chief minister Ashok Chavan have gone unanswered, the ten-member committee on Tuesday wrote an open letter to the CM. The letter says that the offer of ‘pucca’ homes for the slumdwellers of Dharavi comes at a heavy price—the guaranteed loss of livelihoods and the destruction of a unique social fabric.

“More than half of the land released from occupation will be commercially exploited, and significant profits are expected to accrue both to the government and to the developers entrusted with the project. The project is being driven by personal greed rather than the welfare of the residents of Dharavi,’’ says the missive.

The panel comprising former chief secretary D M Sukthankar, housing expert Chandrashekhar Prabhu and town planner Vidyadhar Phatak, among others, has already pointed out flaws in the bidding procedure and expressed reservations about continuing with the present project consultant Mukesh Mehta.

Speaking to TOI, chief minister Chavan said, “I will try and see the committee’s viewpoint but how can I comment on projects or issues that were discussed, crystallised and passed before my tenure? Moreover, the Dharavi project has undergone a transparent bidding process.’’ Asked about the committee’s fears of commercial interests weighing down developmental needs, he said, “Which builder will construct houses for slumdwellers free of cost unless he is offered a commercial component?’’

Consultant Mukesh Mehta said, “Despite the fact that builders were receiving much higher incentives to redevelop Dharavi than they would in any SRA scheme anywhere else in the city, no major builder was willing to come forward for 12 years,’’ he said. “Now they are making a beeline for our township approach which, while denying them additional incentives, makes them install all the requisite infrastructure like roads, water supply and sewerage costing hundreds of crores. They are also being asked to give a maintenance guarantee of 15 years for lifts and external paint. Also, this is the only project in the world where developers must pay a premium to the state government to participate in the project. If the advisory committee still terms it a land grab, then this is a very irresponsible statement.’’

The committee counters that this freeship and the legalisation of the residents’ status comes in exchange for eating into 47% of their original land area, and the destruction of their livelihoods. “As per the present plan, the residents of Dharavi will be jammed into less than half the land they currently occupy while the developers will gain a commercial advantage by selling the rest of the space for residential or office use. This is a sellout to the builders,’’ said Sukthankar. “We had been hoping to drive sense into the state government, but we may be compelled to quit the committee, not in protest but because the purpose of our appointment is not being served.’’

The committee has noted how, over the years, residents from various parts of the city have been made to settle in Dharavi by the government which has “high-handedly’’ denied them the legal occupancy that was rightfully theirs. “Strictly speaking, the land they occupy should be considered as leased to them for a long period, say 99 years, on the terms that would have applied at the time of first occupation of the land,’’ the letter says.

Members are also concerned that the proposed high-rises will snatch the livelihoods of several linguistic communities that live and work in open spaces. “The proximity of residences with workplaces is what makes many of the businesses efficient and competitive. The present plan for redeveloping Dharavi makes no provision for reconstructing these networks,’’ they say.

Pointing out that the population density in Dharavi is already the highest in the world, they warn that squeezing existing residents into a smaller area and adding new occupants will cause further densification.

Source: Times of India

mihir1310

July 8th, 2009, 06:31 AM

Well I'm with the government on this . Sure its going to be a land grab , but what else do you expect considering that Dharavi lies in the heart of the commercial capital of India . I think we must be worried about transparency in this "land grab " by ensuring that the slum dwellers get what they are promised .

The concerns about the social fabric & livehoods are valid, but the committe folks & the entire population must realise that somewhere it has to stop!!!. There is no dignity in living in such squalid conditions . Mumbai has always been a bustling city , & there will always be jobs for everyone.

dhim100

July 8th, 2009, 08:18 PM

The government should rehabilitate the slum population somewhere in the outskirt of Bombay. These people don't own the land nor do they pay income tax or property tax or sales tax, yet they live in the heart of Bombay (of course in a filthy condition). They should develop that area as a world class financial/business district, that way it would ease the traffic congestion through out the city and cut the commute time significantly. Also the government will generate heck a lot of revenue in the form of property tax. In a way these slum dwellers are chocking up the development of the city. They are just burden on the genuine tax payers.

qwertyasd

July 8th, 2009, 11:04 PM

The committee counters that this freeship and the legalisation of the residents’ status comes in exchange for eating into 47% of their original land area, and the destruction of their livelihoods.

There are two problems with this argument.

One, you cant just hand over the property rights to the slum dwellers - what kind of signal are you sending to people? If you illegally occupy govt land, then it becomes yours?

Two, we must reverse the argument and note that the slum dwellers are being given 53% of the land - land that was not theirs to begin with and which they currently legally own 0% of. So, when they are getting 53%, aren't we doing them a favor?

Destruction of Livelihoods - These guys are currently working and living in the same place - Cant they continue doing that in the apartments? I understand that potters are not being shifted currently. Perhaps, their rehab needs to be handled separately.

Also, all this argument about social fabric is bogus - they can maintain the social fabric even in the apartments. And human beings are resilient - they can change their social fabric - it does not have to be associated with living in the slums.

bhargavsura

July 8th, 2009, 11:17 PM

Yes. Very valid points, Qwerty.

sameersam6

July 9th, 2009, 05:39 PM

how the landlord will be benifited in dharavi slum rehabilitation project

mihir1310

July 9th, 2009, 05:41 PM

we have a land in dharavi approx 30,000.00 sq ft.how we will be benifited in sra scheme....

???

mihir1310

July 9th, 2009, 05:52 PM

Panel questions concept of free housing

Mumbai A day after the state government-appointed committee for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) wrote a strong letter against the manner of implementation of the project, it has challenged the very concept of free housing for slumdwellers.
The ten-member expert committee, comprising retired IAS officials, urban planners, activists and architects, had on Tuesday sent a missive to the CM voicing stiff opposition to the DRP in its present form i.e. getting private developers to construct free homes for slumdwellers in lieu of permission to construct extra flats that the developers can sell in the open market.
Dismissing arguments by authorities that giving incentives to developers has been the standard model followed in most public housing schemes including the Slum Rehabilitation Scheme, committee member and former state chief secretary DM Sukhtankar said, “Just because we commit one wrong in the past, it cannot be used to justify all other wrongs. It is a political decision, unique to Mumbai, to impose a FSI of 4 and give away so much land for commercial exploitation by developers, all just to meet the cost of free housing.”

Sukhtankar said the government’s pre-election haste to approve the developers’ plans prompted the committee — that was so long been working closely with the government on the project— to take this drastic step. “We are not saying that self-redevelopment is easy but the state government should test a pilot project, say in a 10-acre slum pocket. All slumdwellers here should be given land on lease and based on a masterplan allowed to take up self-redevelopment with technical and financial assistance from the government in the form of affordable credit,” he said.
mazaak bana rakha hai !!! there is no time for pilot projects now
Under the DRP, about 30 lakh sq mt of built-up space will be used for rehabilitating slumdwellers while another 40 lakh sq mt will be available for developers as the free-for-sale component.

The committee’s vehement opposition to the project has come as a surprise for the authorities, especially as the state government is set to finalise the bidders on July 20. Officials state that they have kept the committee in the loop during each and every meeting with the 14 shortlisted developers. A standardized master plan to bring technical uniformity in the bidding process was also prepared based on guidelines recommended by the expert committee. This plan was presented before the committee in the last meeting of the DRP in May. The minutes of this meeting, released this Tuesday, addresses the very concerns that have now been raised by the committee.

The master plan for the 151-hectare Dharavi presented at the meeting envisages Ground + 14 storey towers for rehabilitation of the locals. These towers would be built over two levels of podiums each 14 feet high used for housing existing commercial establishments at Dharavi.

“Dharavi is an industrial township and we have given economic activity of locals prime importance while planning the project. At present, 23% of Dharavi i.e. about 13,000 hutments comprise commercial establishments and we have introduced the concept of podiums in our revised design keeping their needs in mind,” said Gautam Chatterjee, officer on special duty for the DRP. Chatterjee added that all suggestions by the committee pertaining to transparent procedure, proper survey, infrastructure and livelihood had been woven into the scheme time and again.

sameersam6

July 9th, 2009, 06:14 PM

thanx 4 the reply,yeah tenants will get the flat 225sqft but landlord will be able to get premiun....

mihir1310

July 9th, 2009, 06:20 PM

thanx 4 the reply,yeah tenants will get the flat 225sqft but landlord will be able to get premiun....
ok , so do you want to know what will you receive as compensation from this scheme, for the land that you own in dharavi ???

sameersam6

July 9th, 2009, 06:23 PM

yeah....

sameersam6

July 9th, 2009, 06:24 PM

yeah.... as no goverment bodies are giving clear picture...

sameersam6

July 9th, 2009, 06:48 PM

ok , so do you want to know what will you receive as compensation from this scheme, for the land that you own in dharavi ???

yeah ...as no goverment bodies are giving clear picture..

mihir1310

July 9th, 2009, 08:10 PM

well , i think you have to contact the authorities.. im surprised that you arent informed

qwertyasd

July 10th, 2009, 08:26 PM

yeah ...as no goverment bodies are giving clear picture..

http://www.sra.gov.in/htmlpages/Dharavi.htm

sameersam6

July 11th, 2009, 05:20 PM

http://www.sra.gov.in/htmlpages/Dharavi.htm

in this websitedetails are give for dwellers occupying govt land...

axw11

July 20th, 2009, 02:59 AM

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/8108/20072009004008.jpg

mihir1310

July 20th, 2009, 06:48 PM

:ohno:

IndiansUnite

July 21st, 2009, 02:25 AM

It has been put off for just 10 days boss. I'm sure we can survive till then.

India101

July 21st, 2009, 02:32 AM

Few! Wish they would hurry up.

mihir1310

July 22nd, 2009, 06:22 AM

Government cuts short a long storey
Mumbai: Barely a week before financial bids are unveiled, the Maharashtra government on Tuesday sought to quell criticism by a committee of experts against the ambitious Rs15,000 crore Dharavi redevelopment project.

In its three-page reply, the government said Dharavi's masterplan envisaging rehabilitation of slum-dwellers in 14- to 18-storey towers with two-storey podiums was prepared in consultations with the committee.

State housing secretary Sitaram Kunte said an alternative plan suggested by committee member Aniruddh Paul, the director of Kamala Raheja School of Architecture, to construct seven- to 10-storey buildings, was not workable. "Developers in the masterplan presentation sought higher rehab buildings so that the floor space index of four, which is given specially, considering the special needs for Dharavi, has to be utilised in-situ," Kunte said.

The committee, headed by former chief secretary DM Sukhtankar, was set up by the government to assist it in preparing Dharavi's masterplan. Claiming the plan prepared by consultant Mukesh Mehta was not in tune with the residents' livelihood, the committee, in letters to chief minister Ashok Chavan, sought his removal and suggested that the slum-dwellers be allowed to develop the land on their own.

But Kunte said the consultant was appointed as he had conceptualised the project. "Dharavi is a slum where the residents have encroached on land mainly belonging to a public authority and created informal settlements," said Kunte.

"An attempt was made in 1976 to provide security of tenure, and thereafter in the 1980s, under the slum upgradation scheme by giving long-term leases to cooperative housing societies in Dharavi. With no takers, it was on the suggestion of slum-dwellers themselves, about 2,000 families were rehabilitated in 180 square feet tenements under the prime minister's grant scheme," Kunte added.
DNA (http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_government-cuts-short-a-long-storey_1276190)

axw11

July 30th, 2009, 04:48 AM

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/3370/30072009003009.jpg

bhargavsura

July 30th, 2009, 05:15 AM

Though not Dharavi news, something related to slums.

http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/Web/HTMumbai/Article/2009/07/30/002/30_07_2009_002_004.jpg

Source: Hindustan Times

Bombay Boy

July 30th, 2009, 06:39 AM

FFS!!!!

screw off you free-loaders

mihir1310

July 30th, 2009, 08:17 PM

Dharavi bid submission deadline extended again

The Maharashtra government has deferred the submission and opening of financial bids for Dharavi Redevelopment Projects for a further date, a key government official said. The new date has not been fixed yet, he said.

Earlier, the deadline for submission of bids was extended to July 30 from July 20 as the government could not finalise the final notification for the project and some developers asked for the extension. A total of 14 consortiums are in the fray for the project to transform the Asia's largest slum into a world class financial centre.

"The government is yet to finalise development control regulation for Dharavi Project. Once the government finalises the notification, it will issue a new date,'' Gautam Chatterjee, chief excutive of Dharavi Development Authority, told this newspaper today

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/dharavi-bid-submission-deadline-extended-again/69423/on

bhargavsura

July 31st, 2009, 04:45 AM

Politics + Vote Banks= delays. Let's not even start such projects. It's not worth wasting time after such projects.

Bombay Boy

July 31st, 2009, 08:25 AM

the real reason as always in india is corruption

Move to postpone Dharavi bid opening raises eyebrows
Nauzer Bharucha | TNN

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government’s sudden decision to postpone the opening of the bids for the Rs-15,000-crore Dharavi redevelopment project on Thursday shocked builders and bureaucrats and set tongues wagging about the possible reasons. The new date has not been announced yet.
The state government’s official line for the postponement was that it could not decide “on the final notification for the project’’. However, even officials admitted that Mantralaya had ample time to tide over these issues. The bids were first supposed to be opened on July 20 but a decision was taken to postpone it till July 30.
TOI spoke to several people closely associated with the project, including builders who were in the race, and all of them alleged “behind-the-scenes manoeuvring’’. Almost all of them were unanimous in their speculation of who the final five developers for the project would be.
Senior bureaucrats told TOI there had been wide-spread speculation that a few of the 14 short-listed companies had formed a cartel and were negotiating with a section of the political dispensation to grab this lucrative project.
“This is inexplicable. Everyone is shocked. There can be no reason for the government to suddenly postpone bids hours before they were to be opened,’’ said one of them.
TOI was the first to report in March 2007 that certain politicians were batting for a cartel of big developers. The profits from the project are expected to run into several thousands of crores and the stakes are high given that the Assembly election is just a couple of months away, say developers.
There is also opposition to the project from a section of Dharavi residents. More than a hundred representatives of residents took out a morcha to the Mhada office Thursday afternoon, complaining they had been kept out of the decision-making process.
“There are so many contradictions and complications. Only 35% of the slum dwellers seem to be eligible for the project and the government has not considered 35,000 families living on lofts and first floors,’’ slum activist A Jockin said.

phaedrus

July 31st, 2009, 08:50 AM

^^ :ohno:

niknak

August 2nd, 2009, 04:04 PM

I have always maintained that that the Dharavi Redev Project will never happen (to my disappointment)...

I still don't think it will...

The government does not have the balls to stand against 600-800 thousand people/voters....

qwertyasd

August 3rd, 2009, 05:08 PM

as you can see niknak - the reasons are not all about the balls - the politicians are trying to get as much out of this as possible. corruption in maharashtra has gone out of hand...

jas29

August 23rd, 2009, 06:45 PM

Any more updates on this one guys?? Really hoping to see this one take off. Anymore major Slum redevelopment ideas floating about?? Haven't been to Mumbai since 2004, and it was pretty embrassing showing my Chinese students around the city, what with all the slums, litter, eyesores and beggars etc. Hoping theres been real visible changes on this front.

bhargavsura

August 25th, 2009, 02:20 AM

The redevelopment ideas are still floating like always.

mihir1310

September 3rd, 2009, 09:15 PM

170 industrial galas to shift from Dharavi to Bhiwandi next yr

Thane, Aug 31 Nearly 170 galas (workshops or work spaces that double as industrial spaces) in Dharavi will be relocating to Pimplas village in Bhiwandi with a view to develop the flourishing leather goods industry, industry sources said.

In wake of the proposed redevelopment plan for Asia's largest slum, a section of the industries will soon shift to Pimplas and start operations from next year, they said.

Ninnad R Jaywant, a member of the Leather Crafters Association, said that the new setup will be known as the Bhiwandi Leather Cluster.

He said that the occupants of the galas who were occupying a 250 sqft area will now have a spacious 2500 sqft built up area to themselves.

Initially, in the first phase, a total of 86 units will shift to the new location, he said adding this industry which will come up in the rural part of Thane will provide employment to nearly 10,000 people and will boost the local as well as export market with all the leather based products.

The group itself has procured a 2,00,000 square feet of land for development and each of the galas will be costing around Rs 16 lakh, Jaywant said.

The investment by each of the Gala owner is around Rs 40 lakh-Rs 2 crore and the total investment in the industry in the first phase is likely to be around Rs 10 crores and the turnover is likely to be around Rs 350 crores, he said. Samay Live Aug 31 (http://www.samaylive.com/news/170-industrial-galas-to-shift-from-dharavi-to-bhiwandi-next-yr/652645.html)

dhim100

September 3rd, 2009, 09:55 PM

^^ Awesome news. Let's hope the move goes through without any hitch.

JeanValJean

September 4th, 2009, 01:54 AM

cool. Now when will the shifting of slumdwellers take place?

bhargavsura

September 4th, 2009, 05:02 AM

Free space zindabad!!!

Cov Boy

September 4th, 2009, 05:41 PM

There are lots of other small scale industries in Dharavi that need shifting too like textiles, pottery, etc.

qwertyasd

September 4th, 2009, 07:02 PM

There are lots of other small scale industries in Dharavi that need shifting too like textiles, pottery, etc.

as long as they are not polluting, i think they can continue to exist.

IchimaruGin1

September 4th, 2009, 07:12 PM

poor people of Thane

seem Mumbai wants to dump their problems on somebody else :lol:

oh well thats life

bhargavsura

September 4th, 2009, 07:24 PM

Yeah. Hopefully they don't end up making another Dharavi in Thane too.

IchimaruGin1

September 4th, 2009, 07:35 PM

Yeah. Hopefully they don't end up making another Dharavi in Thane too.

of course it will become another dhavari :lol:

dhim100

September 4th, 2009, 07:51 PM

as long as they are not polluting, i think they can continue to exist.

You are asking too much my friend. In a country where environmental awareness and laws are minimal and bribing is the solution of all problems, pollution is not going to go away easily. Moving these industries outside of Bombay is the only solution to improve air quality and free up the prime land. I guess one industry at a time. None the less it's a good start.

IchimaruGin1

September 4th, 2009, 08:04 PM

You are asking too much my friend. In a country where environmental awareness and laws are minimal and bribing is the solution of all problems, pollution is not going to go away easily. Moving these industries outside of Bombay is the only solution to improve air quality and free up the prime land. I guess one industry at a time. None the less it's a good start.

heavy industry left mumbai a long time ago......

these people dont contribute much to the city polution.

Bombay Boy

September 4th, 2009, 11:29 PM

You are asking too much my friend. In a country where environmental awareness and laws are minimal

india's got some of the best and most stringent environmental laws. the fact that they are not upheld by the government or courts is another matter

dhim100

September 5th, 2009, 12:06 AM

india's got some of the best and most stringent environmental laws. the fact that they are not upheld by the government or courts is another matter

Having good laws without any proper implementation is the same as having no laws.

achemsRaZor

September 10th, 2009, 11:54 AM

india's got some of the best and most stringent environmental laws. the fact that they are not upheld by the government or courts is another matter

Yup. True. What good are they if there is no enforcement? It is indeed unfortunate.

bhargavsura

September 11th, 2009, 04:59 PM

7000 slums in Dharavi sold for 700 crores

MUMBAI: While tony Cuffe Parade recently witnessed the country’s second highest apartment deal at Rs 93,000 a sq ft, a real estate goldmine is
quietly developing at the other end of the island city. Slum enclave Dharavi, on the verge of a Rs 15,000-crore redevelopment project, has speculators running amuck to buy up its minuscule shanties.

The trend was discovered by Pune-based NGO, Mashal, soon after it completed an exhaustive 18-month-long survey of the 590-acre sprawl. The NGO says that 6,000 to 7,000 slum dwellings have been sold in Dharavi over the past four months—possibly to individual investors who expect the Dharavi Redevelopment Project to kick off shortly. The total value of slums sold so far comes to a staggering Rs 700 crore.

During the survey, Mashal used a sophisticated software called the Geographical Information System to map each and every structure and household in the shanty town. The NGO was appointed by the Slum Redevelopment Authority following protests and criticism that the project was being implemented without anyone knowing the ground realities.

Architect-planner Sharad Mahajan of Mashal and his co-ordinator in Dharavi, Dinesh Prabhu, told TOI that each slum tenement—which is barely 120-200 sq ft in size—was being sold for Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh. Commercial units, around 150 sq ft, are selling for anywhere between Rs 15 lakh and Rs 30 lakh.

“Those who have received photo passes, which makes them eligible for rehabilitation, are charging a premium,’’ said Mahajan.

Although there is a suspicion that builders could be buying over these slums, Mahajan claims that the buyers seem to be individual investors out to make a fast buck. However, government and BMC sources, who confirmed Mashal’s findings, said there was no way people buying the slum tenements could get brand-new homes under the rehab scheme, since the photo passes would be in the sellers’ names.

“It is a very fluid situation in Dharavi. After you finish a survey, the situation changes the very next day,’’ said Mahajan. A top state government source recently told this newspaper that the Dharavi project could well turn out to be a “second Enron’’.

A lot of behind-the-scenes political manoeuvring is on to ensure that only certain builders get this lucrative project. As reported by TOI in the past, there is a concerted effort by some developers to form a cartel to grab the project. According to sources both in the government and within the real estate industry, a few of the 14 shortlisted developers for the Dharavi project are backed by powerful state politicians. Only five developers will be selected to redevelop the five zones in Dharavi.

In July, the state government twice postponed the opening of the bids, giving the flimsy reason that it had not finalised the final notification for the project. However, sources said there were other reasons for the delay. “There is huge money at stake. The project was expected to be cleared before the elections. But there was a last-minute glitch. Now the new government will take a call after it comes to power next month,’’ the source said.

Source: Times of India

The Patel

September 11th, 2009, 11:39 PM

^^^^ So no more Jopadpatti???

Once the appartments have been allocated, they should be highly regulated as people have tendency to sub rent those tinny appt for extra cash.:lol:

Marathaman

September 11th, 2009, 11:43 PM

inus2663

September 12th, 2009, 02:25 AM

^^ So you're saying that slum dwellers will never live in actual apartments, so whenever an area is developed, the slums have to be relocated, therefore not solving the problem? These people have to eventually upgrade themselves.

Marathaman

September 14th, 2009, 05:17 PM

IchimaruGin1

September 18th, 2009, 01:47 PM

And what will a bunch of unskilled slum-dwellers do with apartments? They cant' afford to commute to and from the apartment, they can't get a decent job, and they are used to living in slums anyways. Better to rent out the apartment and earn some cash.

yes but what will happen or might happen is this

(a) I live in a apartment. I squeeze in 10 more people in that apartment apart from my own family and charge them Rs5-Rs10 a day to new arrivals.

(b) I give out my house on rent. Go back to my village. Rent collected in mumbai is easy to live a good life in village as cost of living is low.

I doubt even the slummers will give their house fully on rent. Cause lol lets assume that they do give out their houses on rent. The renter then refuses or more out or pay the rent.

Indian judiciary is soo bad and tennat friendly that you might as well say that you have lost that house. NEVER give ya house on rent. Cause the law implentation and judiciary is piss poor.

so if i am a wise slummer i will always try to enact option (a)

bhargavsura

September 18th, 2009, 03:30 PM

Something must be done about this slummers-renting system. Taking advantage of situation is all they know. I recommend implementing a heavy deposit of at least 1 Lakh rupees to slummers who have been relocated and sign a contract for 10 years at least. Any time they violate the house-ownership law, snatch their deposit and make them pay fine. This is the only way to get these idiots stop doing such things.

Karnan

September 19th, 2009, 07:59 AM

One solution i think, to relocation is not to give the slum dwellers new apartments, but an entire industrial/residential area on the outskirts of the city (im not sure about the geography around mumbai, so i dont know if theres enough space); dedicated to small home industries. However, instead of the unregulated mess of the slums, this area would have good roads, sewage systems, etc. as well as workshop areas, schools, hospitals, and apartments for slum dwellers. Nearby might be an industrial area with larger industries to create jobs for former slumdwellers who might choose an alternate job.
In an efficient India, a large megaproject like this might have been feasable; but in reality, its unlikely.

qwertyasd

October 16th, 2009, 11:04 PM

http://www.livemint.com/2009/10/16210505/Six-consortia-opt-out-of-Dhara.html?h=B

Bangalore: Six of the 14 teams in the fray to bid for a Rs15,000 crore Dharavi makeover project have opted out, jeopardizing the scheme.

Five consortia have to be chosen to develop one sector each of the 535-acre shanty town in Mumbai, to make it a part of the growing residential and commercial development within Mumbai.

Some lead members of teams that are not a part of the project any more are Unitech Ltd, K Raheja Universal Pvt. Ltd, Lanco Infrastructure Ltd, RNA-Videocon, Runwal group and Kalpataru group.

On Friday, the Dharavi Development Authority asked the 14 short-listed groups to submit to it the memoranda of understanding among the team members. This was asked after rumours that many of the international and local companies wanted to opt out of the project in the wake of the global economic downturn.

“I am going to raise this issue with the committee of government secretaries that the number of participants does not give scope for adequate competition,” said Gautam Chatterjee, chief executive of the authority. “The committee will take a final call on what should be done with the bidding process.”

Among the remaining teams are Lodha Developers Pvt. Ltd and DB Realty Pvt. Ltd. The two firms recently filed their draft red herring prospectuses to raise money through initial public offerings. Lodha has tied up with a Malaysian construction firm, LBS Bina Group Berhad, as its technical partner, and DB Realty has teamed up with its subsidiary, Conwood Agencies Pvt. Ltd.

In March, following a harrowing six months of liquidity crunch and slow property sales, five out of 19 teams had opted out, leaving only 14 in the fray. Some the prominent firms that exited were Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL), and Reliance Engineering Associates Pvt. Ltd and Urban Infrastructure Venture Capital Ltd.

HDIL, one of the country’s biggest slum redevelopers, was forced to opt out after its US-based partner Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. went bankrupt in September 2008.

“We had been getting a little jittery about the project and don’t want to be a part of the project anymore,” Sandeep Runwal, director of Mumbai-based Runwal group, had said in September.

Property consultants who have tracked the Dharavi project closely said the biggest problem with the participants now is that none of them really has experience in redeveloping slums.

“Developing slums in Mumbai needs expertise because such projects have serious socio-political complications,” said an analyst with an international property consultancy, who didn’t want to be identified. “Besides DB Realty, no other team is equipped for that.”

bhargavsura

October 19th, 2009, 01:52 AM

B*llsh*t. Stupid votebank politics!!! And the companies probably realize its a waste of time here.

shanware

October 28th, 2009, 08:54 AM

Printed from Timesofindia.com

Majority of Dharavi dwellers may be ineligible for rehousing

Nauzer Bharucha, TNN 28 October 2009, 06:04am IST
MUMBAI: Even as the Dharavi redevelopment project seems likely to be pushed with renewed vigour by the new state government, fresh revelations threaten to put a big question mark over the rehabilitation of over 3 lakh slum residents, with some officials warning of a potential law-and-order problem.

A preliminary assessment carried out by the competent authorityâ€”BMC assistant commissioner (G-North ward) Narayan Pai - to verify the status of slum dwellers has found only 37% of them eligible for rehousing in one of the five sectors of Dharavi. Pai has officially noted that out of 8,478 hutments (families) in Sector 4, only 3,127 are eligible.

The slum dwellers found ineligible in the survey are the ones who have been unable to produce proof of residence or documents that show they have been living in Dharavi prior to the government's latest cut-off date of January 1, 2000. Several thousand hutments have been sold since this cut-off date and the new occupants do not possess photo passes, which are given only to slum residents considered to be eligible for rehabilitation by the government.

The sticky situation forced the project's officer on special duty, Gautam Chaterjee, to write to the state government last week, warning that the Rs 15,000-crore scheme could not be implemented until all issues related to rehabilitation were sorted out. Chaterjee has termed this a "serious matter".

Dharavi has been carved into five sectors, each of which will be awarded to a private developer. The 2 sq km enclave has about 60,000 families or over 3 lakh people to be rehoused by developers as part of the project.

Pai's survey showed that in one of the slum clusters in Sector 4, only 17% families were eligible under the scheme. Said a senior Mantralaya official, "Will those who are ineligible be dumped in the Arabian Sea? The government is looking at a law-and-order problem if thousands of families find themselves being forced out."

Several builders in the race have reportedly been constantly questioning the government on who will be responsible for shifting out ineligible slum families who might refuse to move when the redevelopment work commences. The government's reply is that it will undertake the task itself after following the 'due process of law'. The more sceptical among the builders fear that this 'due process' could take months or even years, and say that they cannot afford to wait that long, especially if they are expected to pump in several hundred crores into the project and pay a hefty infrastructure charge to the government.

Interestingly, the Pune-based NGO, Mashal, soon after it completed an exhaustive 18-month-long survey of the 590-acre sprawl, found that more than 5,000 shanties in Dharavi had been sold over the past four to five months to individual investors who expect the project to kick off shortly. Each slum tenement, which is barely 120-200 sq ft in size, was being sold for Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh. Commercial units, around 150 sq ft, are selling for anywhere between Rs 15 lakh and Rs 30 lakh.

The Dharavi project has been mired in controversy for some time now. Early this year, the state government-appointed committee of experts described the project as a "sophisticated land grab" meant to benefit builders more than slum dwellers. The committee, headed by former chief secretary D M Sukthankar, was formed late last year by chief minister Ashok Chavan to monitor, supervise and advise the government on the humungous project involving the rehabilitation of slum residents of Dharavi.

"There is no study which shows the kind of physical infrastructure such as transport capacity, water supply, drainage, as well as the social infrastructure of schools, medical facilities etc available today and whether with the increase in the population after redevelopment, the increased infrastructure is really possible. Successive municipal commissioners and hydraulic engineers have indicated that such an enhancement in infrastructure will overburden the rest of the city and have an overall detrimental effect," the committee has warned.

As reported by TOI in the past, there is a concerted effort by some developers to form a cartel to grab the project. According to sources both in the government and within the real estate industry, a few of the 14 shortlisted developers for the Dharavi project are backed by powerful state politicians. Only five developers will be selected to redevelop the five zones in Dharavi.

In July, the state government twice postponed the opening of the bids, giving the flimsy reason that it had not finalised the final notification for the project. However, sources said there were other reasons for the delay. Real estate industry sources claimed that there is huge money at stake. The project was expected to be cleared before the elections but there was a last-minute glitch. Now the new government will take a call soon, the sources said.

achemsRaZor

October 28th, 2009, 11:03 AM

Deleted

bhargavsura

October 28th, 2009, 06:38 PM

There is so much mess involved in this man. It is not even worth for the government to discuss about this shitty project any further.

shanware

October 28th, 2009, 09:03 PM

But there's so much money to be made for these fellows....thats a big driver. Anyways, no expectations on this one :ohno:

qwertyasd

October 29th, 2009, 06:44 AM

terrible - people have sold their slums - it looks like finally the govt will have to accomodate everyone.

achemsRaZor

October 30th, 2009, 05:52 AM

There is so much mess involved in this man. It is not even worth for the government to discuss about this shitty project any further.

Completely agree. Its just so difficult to get anything implemented man. :ohno:

jjain

October 30th, 2009, 06:44 AM

http://www.projectstoday.com/News/NewsDetails.aspx?nid=28391

The Dharavi redevelopment project is likely to get a new plan as some officials have raised doubts if it can be implemented in its current form. An alternative plan, based on the small-is-beautiful concept, is being drawn up.

The new plan envisages dividing Dharavi into several zones of 2-3 ha each instead of five zones of about 30 ha each as per the earlier plan. As in the current plan, each such zone is likely to be developed as a self-sustaining township with the Maharashtra Government providing the common amenities.

Besides, the slum dwellers will get the right to select the builders and redevelop their colonies. Currently, the state government has to choose the builders. If the slum dwellers fail to decide on a builder within a specified time frame - say, six months - the builder redeveloping an adjoining slum colony will implement the scheme under section 3(k) of the Slum Rehabilitation Act.

The new scheme is likely to be discussed when the high-powered Dharavi Redevelopment Committee of secretaries headed by the Chief Secretary meets in December 2009.

shanware

October 30th, 2009, 07:22 AM

http://www.projectstoday.com/News/NewsDetails.aspx?nid=28391

Much, much more feasible IMHO. Do small bits at a time. You're always going to have a hard time convincing people in a 30 hectare area to toe the line on anything.

achemsRaZor

October 30th, 2009, 07:30 AM

Besides, the slum dwellers will get the right to select the builders and redevelop their colonies. Currently, the state government has to choose the builders. If the slum dwellers fail to decide on a builder within a specified time frame - say, six months - the builder redeveloping an adjoining slum colony will implement the scheme under section 3(k) of the Slum Rehabilitation Act.

Yeah right - 5 easy steps to go from landless to landed - that too in one of the most expensive tracts of real estate in the world.

1.come to Mumbai,
2. squat on Govt land, 3. bring your friends and families and spawn a sprawling slum,
4. Find a sleazeball poitician :nocrook:to sponsor you and
5. Bingo! :okay: Get to choose a developer to rebuild your home!

Nice

IchimaruGin1

October 30th, 2009, 12:43 PM

Yeah right - 5 easy steps to go from landless to landed - that too in one of the most expensive tracts of real estate in the world.

1.come to Mumbai,
2. squat on Govt land, 3. bring your friends and families and spawn a sprawling slum,
4. Find a sleazeball poitician :nocrook:to sponsor you and
5. Bingo! :okay: Get to choose a developer to rebuild your home!

Nice

not to mention the city where this people will get relocated will be thrilled.

bhargavsura

October 30th, 2009, 04:18 PM

And for free!!!

bharatiya

October 31st, 2009, 07:44 AM

Is it gonna be like projects (like government built buildings in the inner city neighborhood) in the US or more of a mixed use area?

shanware

October 31st, 2009, 08:04 AM

Is it gonna be like projects (like government built buildings in the inner city neighborhood) in the US or more of a mixed use area?

I think it was planned as being mixed use. I dont know what the eventual shape will be.

Dharavi revamp: BMC to conduct new survey

Shashank Rao, Hindustan Times

A fresh survey will be conducted to determine the number of residents eligible for houses under the Dharavi Redevelopment Plan (DRP).

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has already done an internal review for DRP in Dharavi’s Sector 4. Only 37 per cent of residents were found eligible.

Narayan Pai, assistant municipal commissioner (G-North) who supervised the survey, said, “We will conduct the actual survey in the months to come.”

The actual survey will be critical as people living in the slum will be asked to produce official documents. Gautam Chatterjee, officer on special duty for the project said, “[In the earlier survey] We included only those who were on the electoral list. But during an actual survey we will ask for several documents and photo identity cards.”

The BMC had conducted an internal survey in one of the five sectors for the Rs 15,000-crore redevelopment project. It revealed that only 3,127 families of the 8,478 were eligible for free houses under the DRP. DRP officials are, however, unsure if the actual survey would increase the number of eligible families.

DRP officials insist that the survey was only an internal communication with the BMC. “The objective was for us to know the quantum of illegal transfer of houses that has taken place in Dharavi viewing its demand once the project is complete,” said an official associated with the project.

The cut-off date for eligibility is the year 2000. “The internal survey has given us an idea that there are residents who sold their houses to people after 2000. The buyers of these houses would be eliminated from the list of eligible residents,” the official said requesting anonymity, as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

Officials say that a shanty in Dharavi, which cost Rs 2-3 lakh a decade ago, could fetch Rs 15-20 lakh after the project was announced.

There are cases where people have purchased five to six shanties looking at the development prospects.

The DRP has asked the state government to take a decision before going ahead with the project. State government officials are thinking of ways to plug loopholes.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/471143.aspx

zenith_suv

November 3rd, 2009, 07:38 AM

Forbes India: Dharavi on drawing board again

With only seven remaining bidders left to compete for the rights to the redevelopment of the highly controversial Dharavi project, Forbes India has now learnt the entire scheme may be considered for an overhaul. According to information gathered from highly placed government sources, the experts committee overseeing the project is recommending Dharavi be redeveloped as a contractual agreement between the residents and the developers, with the government playing a more supervisory role.

Nearly five years after the state government approved the ambitious Rs. 15,000 crore Dharavi Rehabilitation Project (DRP), some officials are wondering if it can be implemented in its current form. The scheme has been beset by numerous obstacles. Only this week, seven out of the 14 developers have dropped out of the fray, rendering the bidding process uncompetitive. Now, the government’s expert committee is said to be considering an alternative plan to give the power back to the people.

Currently, the government chooses the builders, but the new plan is recommending the right to select the builders and redevelop the colonies to be put directly in the hands of the slum dwellers. Instead of dividing Dharavi into five zones of about 30 hectares each, the latest thinking is to see it being divided into several zones of 2-3 hectares each. As in the current plan, each such zone will be developed as a self-sustaining township with the government providing the common amenities.

According to a government source who requested anonymity, this new scheme is likely to be the best way forward for all parties concerned. The source said, “We (government) put up credible guidelines and let the contractual agreement be between the people and developers so there is no problem like what’s happening now. I think the question in all our minds is can you keep bulldosing your way through?” In a recent letter from the government-appointed experts’ committee to the state government, the panel has highlighted its concerns about the project being pushed through without the residents’ consent. The letter states, “The consent of the people should have been incorporated. Despite repeated requests, we were told it would not be possible. No development would succeed without the residents’ consent.”

According to the committee, not only will the new plan reduce the friction between the residents and the developers, it will also mean less delay in starting the redevelopment. The DRP had given the 14 bidders an October 16 deadline to submit the memoranda of understanding (MoUs) that they had signed with their foreign partners. Half of them failed to produce this document despite the deadline being extended a couple of times. As a result, seven developers dropped out of the project including Kalpataru, Lanco Infratech, Unitech, Azorim Investment (Videocon Realty & RNA), Kingston Properties (Oberoi) and Africa Israel Investment Ltd. (K Raheja Constructions). Some of these builders have alleged numerous complications in determining eligibility of residents, as all those slum dwellers who moved into Dharavi after January 1, 2000, are ineligible even if they may be occupying structures that have been in place before that date.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/forbes-india-dharavi-on-drawing-board-again/104446-3.html?from=tn

kronik

November 3rd, 2009, 08:11 AM

I see a lot of hostility towards slum-dwellers here. I do not think it is an us vs. them situation here. By getting rid of the slums without actually taking care of the needs, or being fair, to the slum population is impossible, and any attempt to forcibly remove them from the land is fraught with potentially huge problems.

I think it has been discussed here already but there are a few factors which make it very difficult for slum dwellers to move, even if they want to -

1. Affordability - when moving from a slum dwelling to a pucca house, the costs increase to a great extent. Now they have to pay for regularized electricity, for the maintenance of the house, etc, without a real rise in their income. This is one big reason which has been behind why many poor sell their new, pucca homes and move back to the slums.

2. Transportation - Many failed slum rehabilitation schemes have tried to relocate slum dwellers into colonies that are far away from their current places of business.

3. The design - Studies show that this is actually one big factor as well. In a slum, every space is used up for economic activity. If there is a yard, there will be plenty of things that people will be doing there. Most new colony designs have overlooked the importance of open space.
Similarly, say in Dharavi, most dwellings will have space for economic activity, and the design of the new homes do not fit the needs of the dwellers.

How much is a 230 sq.ft area? its not much, and when the dwellers are unable to make full use of it, they obviously will not want to live in there.

qwertyasd

November 3rd, 2009, 08:26 AM

shanware

November 3rd, 2009, 08:34 AM

A decentralized approach is probably the most transparent and decent solution.

However, the government must impose some sort of deadline - else there will be no pressure on the slumdwellers to redevelop.

I agree, however the government should still have oversight. There has to be some road infrastructure created, plus sewage facilities, storm water drains etc. The government has to come in and enforce these things. If we completely decentralise it we're heading for more chaos, I think.

kronik

November 3rd, 2009, 09:00 PM

A decentralized approach is probably the most transparent and decent solution.

However, the government must impose some sort of deadline - else there will be no pressure on the slumdwellers to redevelop.

I think the biggest problem with accomplishing goals in India, especially goals set by the government, is that there is nobody willing to take responsibility to see them through. I have this feeling that this trait becomes more acute as one goes down the administrative hierarchy.

Decentralization is a good concept, but when the situation is this acute and this unmanageable, I think the government at the highest level must be proactive. Also, I dont think only the slum dwellers are the stakeholders here.

Dharavi is such a global story that it has become a subject of study at universities/institutions around the world. Everybody has a suggestion.

IchimaruGin1

November 4th, 2009, 02:55 PM

kronik

November 4th, 2009, 09:45 PM

the fact is they are illegal.

You uphold the law. Simple as that.

They should consider themselves lucky they have been offered a flat.

the most live in rooms which are 100 sqaure feet.

Wow, you really think its that black and white? Have what I just wrote made no sense to you?

niknak

November 4th, 2009, 10:26 PM

They keep stalling this project because everytime they can "reconsider for overhaul" they pocket all the money during each "overhaul"

IchimaruGin1

November 4th, 2009, 10:38 PM

Wow, you really think its that black and white? Have what I just wrote made no sense to you?

you need to take a stand

relocate these guys another bucket load of people will come and build shacks one day hoping they will get houses built for them on the land.

You do an experiment, made an advert saying Rs1000 to the poor staying in dharavi and you will get half of India lining up.

The rate of slums in Thane was about 60-70% before chandrashekar came by. By the time he finished it was 30%. He did not bargain and he did not relocate. He demolished them. Once people got the message then they stopped building shacks and probably moved to other parts of the metro

niknak

November 5th, 2009, 04:25 AM

kronik

November 5th, 2009, 06:04 AM

you need to take a stand

relocate these guys another bucket load of people will come and build shacks one day hoping they will get houses built for them on the land.

You do an experiment, made an advert saying Rs1000 to the poor staying in dharavi and you will get half of India lining up.

The rate of slums in Thane was about 60-70% before chandrashekar came by. By the time he finished it was 30%. He did not bargain and he did not relocate. He demolished them. Once people got the message then they stopped building shacks and probably moved to other parts of the metro

yes my friend. They will move, somebody else will come in. Unless you want to turn Mumbai or any city in India into a gated community for the affluent, this cycle will continue well into the foreseeable future.

I am not sure of what happened during Chandrashekhar's time, but I am eager to know how the situation changed - did they move to new slums, moved into pucca houses, or maybe even left the region?

That was my stand - you can't stop emigration, but relocating/redeveloping slums is not just a simple exercise of building high rises and forcing the people in. The three factors I had listed play a major role, and there is a lot that can be done in these regards that will make new housing a better option for the slum dwellers.

What I told you was no guesses or assumptions, they are part of actual studies done, so I am safe to assume that that is the situation as things stand today. Simply steamrolling the slums can't improve it.

shanware

November 5th, 2009, 06:39 AM

niknak

November 5th, 2009, 06:56 AM

I dont think Dharavi will EVER change.

If they cleaned up the trash and waste, and added a little infrastructure, it would be a decent low-class neighborhood.

kronik

November 5th, 2009, 07:11 AM

I do not know of the exact situation on the ground, but I do feel a few things will probably feature in a workable solution.

- Bigger houses in the new projects. If nothing else, I think the government and the developers will have to offer bigger houses as an inducement for the families to move.

- how to maintain Dharavi's economic activity? Dharavi has a billion dollar economy, and surely anything that harms their earning will be met with vehemence. If we have to plan for cluster development outside the city, bigger homes with bigger spaces to set up their enterprises will have to be offered. Proximity to a rail link, for easier transport of their goods and services into the city will be essential.

IchimaruGin1

November 5th, 2009, 12:22 PM

yes my friend. They will move, somebody else will come in. Unless you want to turn Mumbai or any city in India into a gated community for the affluent, this cycle will continue well into the foreseeable future.

I am not sure of what happened during Chandrashekhar's time, but I am eager to know how the situation changed - did they move to new slums, moved into pucca houses, or maybe even left the region?

That was my stand - you can't stop emigration, but relocating/redeveloping slums is not just a simple exercise of building high rises and forcing the people in. The three factors I had listed play a major role, and there is a lot that can be done in these regards that will make new housing a better option for the slum dwellers.

What I told you was no guesses or assumptions, they are part of actual studies done, so I am safe to assume that that is the situation as things stand today. Simply steamrolling the slums can't improve it.

all i know is that the rate of slums in Thane is decreasing while the rate of slums in Mumbai is increasing or stagnant.

Navi mumbai hardly has any slums, another reason of no nonsense slum demolition.

What the people did, I really dont know, they were not relocated that much I know. I think they went back to their villages or moved to some other Indian city.

Cause as a person commuting between thane and mulund you could feel the change. Forget studies this is actually what happened.

The billion dollar economy can be turned into a 20 billion dollar economy if they demolish it and build office space.

Think if the people in the villages realise that Mumbai has 0 tolerance to slums. the number of people simply hopping to mumbai will disappear. Ie emigration will be reduced.

Bombay Boy

November 5th, 2009, 12:38 PM

its no coincidence that the slums in bombay boomed post 1996 when the sena-bjp government announced free housing for all slum-dwellers pre-1995. and a similar rush was seen when the congress came back into power and said they would extend the cut-off

there are a few basic problems. rent control is one. the second is that bombay is the cash cow for national and local politicians near election time. squatted land is used as bargaining chips for cash from their largest 'donors' - builders. the pressure for money collection is immense

mihir1310

December 23rd, 2009, 02:29 AM

The Dharavi Redevelopment project may be heading nowhere but the project management consultant Mukesh Mehta, has handed over a Rs 5.05 crore bill to the Dharavi Redevelopment Authority (DRA).

Mehta said his company, M. M. Consultancy Private Limited, had worked on the project for 20 months [March 2008 to November 2009] and deserved compensation.

The bill mainly includes salaries of Rs 2.97 crore for Mehta’s 45-member team.

The project advisor said his company should be compensated for repetitive, extra work.

This includes Rs 1 crore for Mehta, the firm’s chief executive officer, and Rs 25 lakh for his son, Shaan, the chief operating officer. The company has already been paid Rs 11 crore in the last five years as pre-tender activity. The DRA, the body implementing the project, has objected to Mehta’s demand saying that it goes against the original agreement. The agreement states that any additional work during the project would be treated as incidental and would not entail any extra remuneration.

DRA officials refused to comment saying they are not authorised to speak to the media. Mehta refused to comment. “I do not wish to court any controversy. You can write what you want,” he said.

Former chief secretary D M Sukhthankar, who was heading the 11-member expert committee studying the project, flayed the demand. “The claim has no basis. It is a part of his [Mehta’s] work,” said Sukhthankar.

He added that the committee did not find merit in the Rs 11 crore made to Mehta. “We were not satisfied with the magnitude of the work carried out.”

The state has appointed a three-member conciliatory committee of three senior bureaucrats. The Rs 15,000-crore Dharavi Redevelopment Project planned to revamp 535 acres of India’s largest slum into a plush township. The project ran into several obstacles like a survey by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, which declared a majority of the residents ineligible for houses the project. Several developers also pulled out of the project citing lack of transparency.http://www.topnews.in/consultant-hands-rs-5-cr-bill-stalled-dharavi-plan-2245484

qwertyasd

December 23rd, 2009, 07:25 PM

Mukesh Mehta is the only person benefiting from DRP!

Not the slumdwellers, not the ordinary Mumbaikar, noone else.

bhargavsura

December 23rd, 2009, 08:00 PM

Imagine 1 crore salary a year. Wow. But the more delayed this process gets, the more money the government will have to spend on. Two choices: either get the project started, otherwise stop the big boasting.

Suncity

December 23rd, 2009, 09:53 PM

you need to take a stand

That's fine. But who is going to take the stand?

More than 50% the city lives in slums and who knows what additional percentage in dilapidated housing. That's an overwhelming majority of the population.

Suncity

December 23rd, 2009, 10:09 PM

There are some additional things that come to my mind.

There seems to be this huge fear of urbanization amongst India's chatterati socialist class which holds sway over most of India's social institutions (while they keep blaming capitalists, neo liberalization and globalization for all problems). There is this belief that village life is simple and beautiful. So all the time, the aim has been to make people stay back in villages by improving quality of life there. Yes, please do improve conditions in villages (which hasn't really happened in sixty years despite all the grand schemes), but also make sure that people are free to move to cities and live there in decent condition.

The socialist chatterati classes are against expansion of cities - they claim this will harm the ecology and the environment. They are against high rise housing for poor. They want bigger housing for rehabilitation of slum dwellers. And they want it in the very place that slum dwellers are occupying now! It's like building castles in the thin air. They don't want power plants, they will not allow setting up of transmission towers, but then they weep for lack of electricity in every corner.

Thanks to never ending debates, discussions, appointment of commissions, lawsuits - nothing is actually happening on the ground that improves the miserable life of the slum dwellers.

IchimaruGin1

December 24th, 2009, 04:18 AM

That's fine. But who is going to take the stand?

More than 50% the city lives in slums and who knows what additional percentage in dilapidated housing. That's an overwhelming majority of the population.

but the law is the law. Why even have the rule book if your not going to follow certain aspects of it. Squatting is illegal. If the majority believe in some backward social practice does that make it right?

the middle class needs to take the stand. Going by your post above, if the villages are the majority all the funding should goto them with our cities neglected?

If we go by the majority in this country nothing will be done. It will be misguided populism with news channels shaping news on opinion polls(as they already do)

As mentioned above, the slums were the majority in thane. but the law was upheld and the slums cleared. Obviously not as big a slum as dharavi. but some of those slums were pretty big.

Somebody stood up and made the difference.

dharavi relocation itself poses the bigger hurdle. How do you prove who lives where? Whats to say people from other slums come and form sub slums in dharavi so they can claim their public housing.

the socialists and NGO's just generate new headlines so people in the west can donate more money. that money donated finds its way in the pockets of these NGO's. therefore you have "studies" with 90% of Indians living in poverty. when you look into their "data" its taken from a very small sample of the poorest districts of india and then blown up of a picture for the entire india. If India does rapidly develop and project a positive image then these NGO's get less money.

I was reading and article whereby an agency (NGO) getting a windfall funds from people in the west in the wake of slumdog millionaire was under investigation for misappropriation of funds. The director of this NGO (who is white) also apparently spent 20 lakh on a nice antique Burma teak wooden desk.

I have been on NGO efforts to clean the slums near bhandup. We provided them with a bin and everything to throw their waste. Next week we arrived the bin was stolen and people told us, sold for scrap. We put another bin with a lock to a poll etc. They took the lock and bin as well and sold it for scrap. even when we took the efforts for installing the bins where they were in place for a few weeks, there was litter everywhere but the bin. These people literally litter in front of their shacks and cant be bothered to put it in the bin provided by getting up and walking a little. I am all for a loving touch. But seriously volunteer in some of these NGO drives. you will understand how things work and come to the practical solution that a hard-line stance is the only language people in India understand. Its very easy to sit behind a comp and talk about being compassionate. since this incident i gave up volunteering (this was about 6 years ago). It broke my spirit. the foot soliders or volunteers of these NGO orgs are the real heroes. they work without the money and purely out of goodness of their heart. But the administration is as rotton or even worse than any company as they are never brought to account.

People may call be racist or anti Indian for saying this, but the slum dwellers from UP and Bihar just dont follow any laws what so ever. Its a case of shit where you eat with those slums. They are so dangerous that NGO's refuse to ply their for their own safety. Many instances of NGO's being robbed by the very people they set out to help. The flyovers nearby these newly formed UP/Bihari slums, people sleep in the middle of the road during the day and bring traffic to a standstill under the excuse of it being government property. Lawless totally lawless........

Suncity

December 24th, 2009, 05:31 AM

but the law is the law. Why even have the rule book if your not going to follow certain aspects of it. Squatting is illegal. If the majority believe in some backward social practice does that make it right?

.........

People may call be racist or anti Indian for saying this, but the slum dwellers from UP and Bihar just dont follow any laws what so ever. Its a case of shit where you eat with those slums. They are so dangerous that NGO's refuse to ply their for their own safety. Many instances of NGO's being robbed by the very people they set out to help. The flyovers nearby these newly formed UP/Bihari slums, people sleep in the middle of the road during the day and bring traffic to a standstill under the excuse of it being government property. Lawless totally lawless........

Squatting on land that doesn't belong to you is definitely illegal. But why are the people squatting in the first place? Because there is no law enforcement? Correct? Who are the people responsible for law enforcement?

It is a fact that most slum dwellers in India's metros come from some of the impoverished regions. But how can they set up a shack anywhere in the city without backing from politicians and police? Plus how do they make a living?

The majority of law makers are "sons of the soil". The law enforcers (cops) are also mostly "sons of the soils". And the largest consumer of the "cheap" services of the slum dwellers are also "sons of the soil". By "sons of the soil" I don't necessarily mean any particular linguistic group but the more (well) established city dwellers. It is basically a symbiotic relationship in play here.

If people stopped buying from hawkers, they would simply disappear from the footpaths (it is another story that there will be a spurt in crime if people have no way of sustaining themselves).

I don't think there is any easy solution except for more investment in the economically backward regions of the country. For starters all national bank headquarters could be moved to Lucknow and Patna along with all the higher end and lower end jobs. All central government establishments should also move 50% of their jobs to these two cities (delhi can keep 40% and remaing 10% distributed fairly amongst remaining states). All central government supported institutions will need to open their primary or secondary campuses in these two cities. All new railway, metro, road infrastructure should come up in these regions as a priority. That should be a good jump start to the economy in these regions. Even the Hindi film industry should be encouraged to move to the Hindi heartland. Maybe that will start a reverse migration!

IchimaruGin1

December 24th, 2009, 02:59 PM

Squatting on land that doesn't belong to you is definitely illegal. But why are the people squatting in the first place? Because there is no law enforcement? Correct? Who are the people responsible for law enforcement?

It is a fact that most slum dwellers in India's metros come from some of the impoverished regions. But how can they set up a shack anywhere in the city without backing from politicians and police? Plus how do they make a living?

The majority of law makers are "sons of the soil". The law enforcers (cops) are also mostly "sons of the soils". And the largest consumer of the "cheap" services of the slum dwellers are also "sons of the soil". By "sons of the soil" I don't necessarily mean any particular linguistic group but the more (well) established city dwellers. It is basically a symbiotic relationship in play here.

If people stopped buying from hawkers, they would simply disappear from the footpaths (it is another story that there will be a spurt in crime if people have no way of sustaining themselves).

I don't think there is any easy solution except for more investment in the economically backward regions of the country. For starters all national bank headquarters could be moved to Lucknow and Patna along with all the higher end and lower end jobs. All central government establishments should also move 50% of their jobs to these two cities (delhi can keep 40% and remaing 10% distributed fairly amongst remaining states). All central government supported institutions will need to open their primary or secondary campuses in these two cities. All new railway, metro, road infrastructure should come up in these regions as a priority. That should be a good jump start to the economy in these regions. Even the Hindi film industry should be encouraged to move to the Hindi heartland. Maybe that will start a reverse migration!

I am not denying one bit that the locals in charge have not been bribed. More than the cops its the politicians seeking a vote bank for them.

Sun,

the majority of raw materials are produced by the backward states so why do companies not move to a region which is cheaper and nearer to the raw materials?

The reason is simple. You cant simply move a bank, you need to proper power infrastructure , you need law and order you need the workforce(which can be achieved ). The biggest reasons why people dont want to set up business be it government or otherwise is a total lack of order.

You need stability for what you are suggesting. They can move the industry by all means. I would be glad to get Bollywood out. Its a mafia infested shit hole industry. I would celebrate the day they leave. But the first ones to reject it would be the film stars themselves. As they dont want their security questioned.

The film industry is purely a private enterprise. So why are they staying?

Even Omkara was shot in the interior of Maharashtra. Why shoot it there when ya costs would be much less shooting in UP/Bihar?

The railways of this country practically operate there.

Your not going to see an improvement till the law and order situation drastically improves. Even if you move every other government bank rail or army manufacturing regiment facility airline.

They can have their government institutions. The progressive states grow via the private sector. There is where the true improvement lay.

Suncity

December 24th, 2009, 06:58 PM

I am not denying one bit that the locals in charge have not been bribed. More than the cops its the politicians seeking a vote bank for them.

Yet, people dance to the tune of these politicians and beat up people based on their ethnicity!

the majority of raw materials are produced by the backward states so why do companies not move to a region which is cheaper and nearer to the raw materials?

When India was going through the first phase of industrialization, a lot of these states lost out because of licensing and freight equalization policy.

In the new phase of India's industrialization, many big companies want to set up mega industries in these states, but they have been held up by various kinds of social activism based on tribal rights, human rights, environmental concerns, social policies, fear of capitalism etc. In many cases the strings are pulled and funded from outside these states and even from NGOs based in foreign countries! The Central Government has to take a stand on this instead of looking the other way and say it is only acting as a "facilitator".

However for Bihar it is definitely a problem. With the creation of Jharkhand, Bihar has almost no mining or industrial hubs. One way could be land reforms - but is a highly debatable issue. The other way is to do what Kerala has done - improve quality of human resources.

The reason is simple. You cant simply move a bank, you need to proper power infrastructure , you need law and order you need the workforce(which can be achieved ). The biggest reasons why people dont want to set up business be it government or otherwise is a total lack of order.

In a land of billion, getting good workforce is never going to be a problem. Yes you may not get the best, but just average Joes and Janes can do most work efficiently. Infrastriucture can always be improved. UP already has Noida and Greater Noida which are growing thanks to proximity to Delhi. Lucknow is not too bad I believe from the infra point of view.

When it comes to law and order it is a mixed bag

1
http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/1320/ipcstate.jpg (http://img85.imageshack.us/i/ipcstate.jpg/)

2
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/7384/vcrstate.jpg (http://img13.imageshack.us/i/vcrstate.jpg/)

You need stability for what you are suggesting. They can move the industry by all means. I would be glad to get Bollywood out. Its a mafia infested shit hole industry. I would celebrate the day they leave. But the first ones to reject it would be the film stars themselves. As they dont want their security questioned. The film industry is purely a private enterprise

As I said - in a land of billion - there will never be a shortage of people, stars, experts or otherwise. BTW is it just the film industry that is mafia infested? The real estate and construction industry cannot be far behind. How is the mafia having a free hand if there is relatively better law and order?

The railways of this country practically operate there.

Is there any statistics to support that?

Of 6 billion total passengers (http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/deptts/yearbook/statistical-stmt-0607/st-12.pdf) transported on broad guage by India Railways in a year, 3.5 billion was suburban traffic. Of this suburban traffic the break up is Western Railway (HQ Mumbai) - 1.1 billion, Central Railway (HQ Mumbai) - 1.2 billion, Eastern Railways (HQ Kolkata) - 0.7 billion, Southern Railways (HQ Chennai) - 0.2 billion, SE Railways (HQ Kolkata) - 85 million, Northern Railway (HQ Delhi) - 2.8 million (appx numbers - see chart here (http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/deptts/yearbook/statistical-stmt-0607/st-12.pdf)).

They can have their government institutions. The progressive states grow via the private sector. There is where the true improvement lay.

Let's not forget that the private sector's performance is strongly linked to the central government's diktats and preferences. A huge chunk of private companies depend on capital from central government owned banks. For states which do not have a strong private sector presence, building a good base with public sector enterprises should provide the required push forward.

The country cannot progress just with pockets of development. I think all of us in this forum understand that. But how to fix and the will to fix seems to be the problem that is facing the nation.

IchimaruGin1

December 24th, 2009, 07:40 PM

Yet, people dance to the tune of these politicians and beat up people based on their ethnicity!

People face the reality on the ground. You dont need a politician telling you to hate a certain ethnicity then in your local area crime sudden jumps through the roof. You feel it yourself when your sister or mother gets raped. I am not for one minute taking the side of the politicians. What some politicians do is take advantage of the situation. But the situation always has existed. If you deny a situation exists you are denying that people have a grudge. Ofcourse the politician will do nothing to change the situation. He will take full advantage, but no way was this situation artificially induced. It was always like a gun powder ready to be ignited. The politician just provided the spark.

When India was going through the first phase of industrialization, a lot of these states lost out because of licensing and freight equalization policy.

In the new phase of India's industrialization, many big companies want to set up mega industries in these states, but they have been held up by various kinds of social activism based on tribal rights, human rights, environmental concerns, social policies, fear of capitalism etc. In many cases the strings are pulled and funded from outside these states and even from NGOs based in foreign countries! The Central Government has to take a stand on this instead of looking the other way and say it is only acting as a "facilitator".

Hey i am all for the central gov taking charge. I will be happy to pay extra tax for the money to be channelled into these states. Just dont think that moving banks will change anything.

However for Bihar it is definitely a problem. With the creation of Jharkhand, Bihar has almost no mining or industrial hubs. One way could be land reforms - but is a highly debatable issue. The other way is to do what Kerala has done - improve quality of human resources.

Again you need stability for that.

In a land of billion, getting good workforce is never going to be a problem. Yes you may not get the best, but just average Joes and Janes can do most work efficiently. Infrastriucture can always be improved. UP already has Noida and Greater Noida which are growing thanks to proximity to Delhi. Lucknow is not too bad I believe from the infra point of view.

Actually an educated work force is always going to be in high demand in India. Infra can be improved. The key word is can. Recently Mayawati said no to reliance fresh.

When it comes to law and order it is a mixed bag

Those are the reported stats. The majority of the crime in the concerned states is never reported. I feel it would be naive to believe the official stats considering that the infra of some of these states is so weak that even tracking becomes a hard task.

As I said - in a land of billion - there will never be a shortage of people, stars, experts or otherwise. BTW is it just the film industry that is mafia infested? The real estate and construction industry cannot be far behind. How is the mafia having a free hand if there is relatively better law and order?

Like i said again. I am all for opening up the real estate sector to foreign sector. I dont deny that the construction business is mafia invested. But construction is something mumbai cannot do without.

Mumbai can live without Bollywood. It will sure as hell end the stream of people coming to the city with the hope of being a hero and end up in petty crime to support themselves.

Is there any statistics to support that?

Take a look at the past 10 railway ministers and where they come from and you will find your answer. the stats you provided show the number of passengers and not who is employed where. Have a look at where the train manufacturing facilities and maintenance are. Thats where the real bulk is employed. The majoirty of them are with the northern railways despite the bulk of passengers travelling in mumbai.

Let's not forget that the private sector's performance is strongly linked to the central government's diktats and preferences. A huge chunk of private companies depend on capital from central government owned banks. For states which do not have a strong private sector presence, building a good base with public sector enterprises should provide the required push forward.

Not really.Take the mumbai stock market, controlled most by foreign mutual funds. Thats a sea of change from 10 years ago. Take Pune, foreign companies have set up base in manufacturing and employ thousands. the foreign sector does not only mean indian companies. It means the world.

The country cannot progress just with pockets of development. I think all of us in this forum understand that. But how to fix and the will to fix seems to be the problem that is facing the nation.

Its an age old question. In the chat section i brought up the issue of presidents rule. One state cannot keep on failing and then unload and cause problems to other states. In a family everybody should contribute. If the people keep on voting the same retard just cause he belongs to their caste despite having a shit record economically then they are to be fully blamed.

Its unfair for the people of other states to bear the burden for so long.

Indiadreams

December 24th, 2009, 09:14 PM

IchimaruGin1

December 24th, 2009, 11:28 PM

^^

On a ligher note, why are you so much against bollywood? Mumbai is known for its entertainment industry as much as its financial services industry. The economy of western suburbs thrives on entertainment sector. It adds glamour to the whole place.

glamour from what?

plagiarised movies storyline and songs tunes ?

do you brag to the world about something you copied ? How can any self respecting educated Indian be proud of that copied waste?

Some chinese movies are really shit to watch. But they have originality. I dont mind even a shit movie provided it is original. In that respect the Tamil Bengali Marathi (and i am sure other local cinemas) are miles ahead. They may not have the good looking hunks and the picture perfect actresses. But they mostly have their own scripts (yes they copy as well, but not to that extent of Bollywood) so many good movies Tingya Nyayan(some tamil movie i saw) which are real India movies. Not something about SRK pretending to be David Backham. They project the real India.

The entertainment industry aka bollywood is at the most worth $2 billion. Its a a known gateway for money laundering and even the mafia has made films as so many press exposes have told us. the real estate on which these studio's sit it worth more than the goods they churn out.

As I told sun, even builders are connected to the mafia. But bollywood is something the city can do without.

Indiadreams

December 25th, 2009, 08:22 PM

Jodhpur2

December 25th, 2009, 09:09 PM

glamour from what?

plagiarised movies storyline and songs tunes ?

do you brag to the world about something you copied ? How can any self respecting educated Indian be proud of that copied waste?
.

Stop generalising! yes a lot of it copied but compared to the amount of originals it is very less.... and yes I'm talking about proper blockbusters... you might be ashamed but millions are not so wake up.

Suncity

December 25th, 2009, 09:22 PM

Its unfair for the people of other states to bear the burden for so long.

I will talk about the other points later on (after the holidays). But why not think it the other way around too for the above point.

If the rest of India's "burden" was not drawn by Mumbai/Maharashtra - then what would happen to Mumbai port (a chunk of the cargo is from rest of India)? What would happen to Mumbai's airport (a huge chunk is transit from rest of India)? The rest of India is a much bigger market (than Maharashtra/Mumbai) for Mumbai based companies which reap in profits by doing business there. Where would a huge chunk of the output of Maharashtra's factories go to? We only seem to skim at the surface that such and such state produces 40% of output or pays 60% of taxes. It is a symbiotic relationship. Just as much Mumbai or Maharashtra gives back to India, it also takes a fair proportion of it back in many different ways. Although I am mentioning Mumbai/Maharashtra here, it is just a general concept and I am using the names as an example only.

IchimaruGin1

December 25th, 2009, 10:02 PM

Going off topic anyway.

You mean to say that you 'll accept if they plagiarise sitting outside Bombay. It is happening because market wants and accepts that. Parallel cinema also exists in Bombay like in other cities. However, they dont even get a budget to get a decent theatre. Most of the movies never go out of preview theatres or get 1 or 2 shows in Lokhandwala in odd hours on week days. But there is a change in audience mindset and bollywood is progressing albeit slow (It takes some time when the old themes fail and the producers realise it). And anyway, I always like a decent entertainer, even if it is not meaningful.Based on your logic, software and BPO industries should be thrown out since they dont do anything great (no offence meant here).

Now coming to the economic viewpoint, Entertainment sector in Bombay is not just Bollywood. Prolly, it might be just 30-40%. This is where it differs from Chennai or Hyderabad, where there are equally big film industries. Modelling, TV, fashion , theatre, advertising and marketing (to an extent) industries co-exist together in Bombay. And all these industries have synergies and is better off functioning together. Ask anyone in Lokhandwala, he/she 'll be into modelling, theatre,ramp, realty shows etc. Now add the indirect jobs in retail and other service sectors (there are atleast 15 gyms, 50 beauty saloons, countless restaurants, cafes in 1 sq km in Lokhandwala alone), it definitely gives back what it takes from Bombay. It is a big loss to Bombay , if it loses entertainment industry. IMO it will lose its diversity.

And about the real estate that the studios occupy, I really dont know if any of the studios could even hold 100 apartments (of Bombay standards). All the studios are tiny except for Filmistan in Goregaon W, compared to the counterparts in Chennai, Hyderabad and Noida. Film city in Goregaon E is a part of Borivli National Park.

But I have to accept that the mainstream directors have to get out of their Bandra/ Lokhandwala/ Juhu lifestyle and see real India. Prolly they should do field trips to actual India instead of holiday trips in US and Europe.

I know, this is completely irrelevant to the topic, but could not resist.

No what i am saying is I will be happy if it leaves mumbai. I dont watch bollywood so i really dont care even if they move to Pune.

The market also demands crack codes of Windows operating system. Does not make it right. The market wants everything. I believe that Priyadarshan was threatened to be sued by the small Irish film company in the copy of "making ned devine". All this shows is the weakness of the Indian judiciary. People cant be persecuted quickly

the mainstream directors dont show the real india cause they lift their plots and dialogues from all round the world. That is exactly why Bollywood has one the least nomination (recently Lagaan) at the Oscars. Has anybody wondered why despite producing so many films there are no nominated Indian films.

There in lay your answer. Thats what the world thinks of bollywood.

There will come a time where people from Hollywood will sue for Royalties. Somebody will get heavily burnt. I await that day with fingers crossed.

Plus its about office space. Not the flats.

IchimaruGin1

December 25th, 2009, 10:05 PM

Stop generalising! yes a lot of it copied but compared to the amount of originals it is very less.... and yes I'm talking about proper blockbusters... you might be ashamed but millions are not so wake up.

no really

the recent funda is to copy 2-3 Hollywood movies into a interwoven. You need to stop fantasising and face reality. Look though Mahesh bhatt, he even copied dialogues word for word.

If something its the turth dont just dismiss it as generalising.

IchimaruGin1

December 25th, 2009, 10:16 PM

I will talk about the other points later on (after the holidays). But why not think it the other way around too for the above point.

If the rest of India's "burden" was not drawn by Mumbai/Maharashtra - then what would happen to Mumbai port (a chunk of the cargo is from rest of India)? What would happen to Mumbai's airport (a huge chunk is transit from rest of India)? The rest of India is a much bigger market (than Maharashtra/Mumbai) for Mumbai based companies which reap in profits by doing business there. Where would a huge chunk of the output of Maharashtra's factories go to? We only seem to skim at the surface that such and such state produces 40% of output or pays 60% of taxes. It is a symbiotic relationship. Just as much Mumbai or Maharashtra gives back to India, it also takes a fair proportion of it back in many different ways. Although I am mentioning Mumbai/Maharashtra here, it is just a general concept and I am using the names as an example only.

Sure take your time,

I think you have missed the point completely. Let me explain via an example. India is say made of a family of 10 brothers. Out of those 10 , 8 contribute to the household growth. 2 brothers sit at home and do nothing relying on the money from the other brothers to help them.

This is not about Mumbai and Maharashtra one state. This is about the western and southern India making a contribution and some other parts we all know too well simply taking. Its about time they step up to the plate.....but all I see is a widening gap.

We have been independent for 60 plus years. Financially liberated since 1991.That is sufficient time to get your house in order.

PS Kolkotta is the gateway for the states in question. Kolkotta serves as market for those parts.Mumbai is the gateway for the western coast and central India. Thats with respect to the goods.

PPS the oil and natural gas found gas found off Mumbai high would mean considering the oil contribution India owes Mumbai/Maharashtra and not vice versa. If the oil was sold at market value if Mumbai was separated (I am not suggesting it will, cause its a hypothetical situation) would mean Mumbai would be a much richer city than it already is. You can talk about freight equalisation and corporate tax. But you fail to mention the sheer oil pumped out by those off shore oil and gas fields over the years which would exceed any income from head quarters relocating or the Indian market it supposedly serves. when the rest of India gets an oil or fuel subsidy. Remember which city helps to partly sponcer that. As Indians i am sure every Mumbaikar would be honoured to sponcer that. But lets show some gratitude to the city based on these facts rather than talk as if its an equal relationship. Given the oil contribution as cheap subsidised prices. It will never be one.

sixsigma1978

January 21st, 2010, 05:16 AM

This Thread has been Hijacked way beyond its intended purpose. Please people get back on the issue : Is this project in Limbo or Dead completely?

bhargavsura

January 21st, 2010, 04:26 PM

Dead!!!

Cov Boy

January 21st, 2010, 06:39 PM

Back to the topic of Dharavi:

Programmes about Dharavi:

This is interesting to watch:

Two part series of a documentary by UK's Channel 4 (part of its Indian Winter programme season) Slumming it! Kevin McCloud travels to Mumbai to explore Dharavi and lives with a family to see what its like to live & work there.

Its very interesting and a eye opener! I watched the programmes on TV & available online to watch below.

SUMMARY: http://www.channel4.com/4homes/on-tv/kevin-mccloud-slumming-it/index.html

WATCH: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/kevin-mccloud-slumming-it/4od

Also watch Slumdog Secret Millioniare:

SUMMARY: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/slumdog-secret-millionaire

WATCH: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/slumdog-secret-millionaire/4od

I have a new found respect for the slum dwellers after watching these two programmes. I can understand the resistance and why they dont want to be put in small flats. I feel sorry for them and just hope they there is a win:win solution.

You can add your own comments to the Channel 4 web-site if you wish & here.

Sit back & relax with a cuppa!

Enjoy!

Jodhpur2

January 22nd, 2010, 07:24 PM

This is part of the Indian winter isn't it? I watched Om Shanti Om the other day... but have to say the best part of indian winter is Gordon's great escape... :cheers:

jas29

January 22nd, 2010, 08:28 PM

yeah l did catch the whole Indian Winter Season minus the films. The story of the four children yesterday was pretty depressing yet starkly realistic- l have just made a donation and would urge anyone else to make a donation to a fund channel 4 have set up-

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/articles/slumdog-children-of-mumbai-help-and-support

The way the Police treated that guy who had been raping young guys was despicable (well actually great for the suspect not for the victim), he gives the guy a clip round the ear and tells him 2 do 1 and then goes to the charity worker oh well thats fine, done dusted he won't bother the kids anymore! Though not surprising really with Indian Police reputation but all my gora friends were v shocked.

Seem to keep hearing about these slum redevelopment projects but the reality seems to be they never materialise or more just more slums keep propping up??

Cov Boy

January 25th, 2010, 02:15 PM

deleted.

bharatiya

January 25th, 2010, 10:42 PM

OK this thread is going nowhere. So let's bring it back on track, shall we?

Proposal to develop Dharavi in phases to beat land mafia

Rajshri Mehta / DNATuesday, January 26, 2010 0:35 IST
Email
Print
Share
Mumbai: The Rs15,000-crore Dharavi redevelopment project (DRP) has been faltering ever since plans to convert the country’s largest slum into a world-class township were unveiled three years ago.
A sub-committee of the Dharavi Development Authority (DDA) has now suggested phase-wise redevelopment, instead of calling bids for all the five sectors in which Dharavi has been divided. The sub-committee was set up to debate the pros and cons of redeveloping Dharavi by dividing it into 32 sectors vis-a-vis the original plan to develop the slum in five sectors.

With only seven of the 14 bidders left in the fray, the committee felt this was the best alternative to losing face by calling fresh global bids. Housing secretary Sitaram Kunte confirmed the suggestion but refused to elaborate since the plan is at a premature stage.
Sources say the committee made the suggestion as it felt that by inviting bids for only one sector at a time, the government will get be able to prevent developers from forming a cartel to bag the entire area. Though the government denies this on record, real estate experts say cartelisation was the primary reason why financial bids for Dharavi were cancelled at the last minute in August 2009, and not because the authorities were not ready with the development plan, as claimed by them.

A state-appointed committee of experts under former chief
secretary DM Sukhtankar had said the project is a “sophisticated land grab” meant to benefit the builders more than the slum dwellers. The committee proposed that the government assist slum dwellers to form societies and redevelop it by choosing a developer on their own. However, government officials say the idea is flawed as banks are not willing to give funds to slum dwellers without a moratorium.

Source: DNA

koresh

January 29th, 2010, 06:15 AM

Next: 46-acre mini-Dharavi up for redevelopment (http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_next-46-acre-mini-dharavi-up-for-redevelopment_1340557)

Rajshri Mehta / DNA
Friday, January 29, 2010 0:58 IST

Mumbai: Kamaraj Nagar, popularly known as mini-Dharavi, is set to become one of the biggest redevelopment projects in the city. The ownership of the 46-acre slum abutting the Eastern Express Highway in Ghatkopar (east) has changed hands and now lies with Champalal Vardhan of the Neelam Group.

Kamaraj Nagar marks the shift of focus from the western to the eastern suburbs on the redevelopment radar, and will be a realty bonanza for Vardhan. With a floor space index (FSI) of three for slum schemes, the developer will get approximately two crore sq ft (1.97 lakh sq mt) as developable space. While part of the land will be used to rehabilitate over 10,000 shanties free of cost in as many 269 sq ft flats, the balance will be available for the developer to sell in the open market. Since property prices in the area are currently pegged at over Rs7,500 a sq ft, property brokers believe the developer has struck a good deal.

Vardhan, also the owner of the controversial Atria mall at Worli, got the development rights from Sitaram Garodia, the land owner. Set
up in the early 1960s, the slum colony is named after the late Congress stalwart from Tamil Nadu, K Kamaraj, and is predominantly inhabited by south Indians who came to Mumbai to work as dock workers and scavengers.

Confirming the project, Vardhan said he was planning a township in the area that would be available for free sale. He is implementing the scheme in phases. ``Slum schemes are a long-drawn process. It takes time to get various letters of consent and construct transit camps as alternative accommodation while the redevelopment work is on. Though we have the consent of 40% of the slum dwellers, the slum redevelopment authority has approved the first phase of five acres,’’ he said. The entire process in the first phase could take at least two years.

More on the anvil
The clamour for slum redevelopment is growing stronger. BJP legislator Prakash Mehta has recently asked the Congress-led state government to redevelop the three big slum colonies in Ghatkopar on lines of the Dharavi. Before the October state assembly elections, Mehta along with the federation of housing societies of slumdwellers from Ramabai Nagar, Nityanand Nagar and Kamaraj Nagar—predominantly Dalit, Muslim and south Indian localities respectively—had requested the government to allow the redevelopment of three colonies on the lines of Dharavi. The first of them, the Kamaraj Nagar slum, is off the blocks. The rest could follow in due course.

bharatiya

January 29th, 2010, 06:41 AM

I think developing smaller phases is far more likely to be a success, as it requires less investment on the part of developers. Could we create a thread for Mumbai slum redevelopment in general?

sixsigma1978

February 10th, 2010, 06:51 PM