MUMBAI: Less than a week after global tenders were floated for the over Rs. 9,000 crore Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP), black flags have come up all over the sprawling settlement which is dubbed Asia's largest slum. Inquiries from the world over are pouring into the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) office, which is the special planning authority for the project, after the expression of interest documents were invited on June 1.

However, protests have been planned including a morcha on June 13 before the project office at Bandra. Local organisations have resolved to fight the project legally, politically and on the street, says Arputham Jockin, president of the National Slum Dwellers' Federation (NSDF). Jockin has been campaigning against investment in this project in several countries abroad. Under DRP, a "slum-free" Dharavi has been envisaged by project consultant Mukesh Mehta. The main focus will be on health, income, knowledge, environment and socio cultural integration (HIKES) in the area. It will be developed in five sectors and the actual project area will be about 144 hectares. About 70 million square feet of construction is envisaged, of which 30 million will be for residential space and amenities while 40 million square feet will be up for free sale.

About 4500 industrial units will be rehabilitated in the designated commercial area. The leather industry for which Dharavi is famous will be moved out and only non-polluting non-hazardous industries will be allowed to stay on under the plan.

Reservation for open space has been increased to 15 per cent from 8 per cent earlier and space for amenities like schools has been doubled to 10 per cent. Over 57,000 new homes with an area of 225 sq. feet will be built for the residents. Existing industries have the option of changing to non-hazardous units or moving out. The project also plans five new road networks and is expected to take five to seven years to complete. The minimum opening bid is pegged at Rs. 1000 crores.

However, residents of Dharavi feel short-changed by the plan. The Dharavi Bachao Samiti, formed three years ago to focus on the project, says it is not all opposed to the redevelopment of Dharavi. But livelihoods would be affected, says Raju Korade of the Samiti. He told The Hindu that existing industries would not be allowed to continue and they would have no place in the new concept of Dharavi.

Potters' plight

The main issue is Kumbharwada where about 1000 potters live on land leased to them by the municipal corporation. People who are living in Dharavi have to be resettled there itself and cannot be thrown out, he said. About 36 organisations will take part in the protest and political parties like the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party are also supporting this move.

According to official information, the entire notified area of Dharavi is 535 acres. This includes municipal land, private open land and also land which has been leased to people under vacant land tenure. Mr. Jockin said that when the Government approved the DRP, the vacant land tenure was automatically cancelled.

A government notification says, "If any land or part of any land on which a slum is located is under Vacant Land tenure, the same tenure or lease created by the Brihanmumbai Municipal corporation or the municipal commissioner shall stand automatically terminated as soon as the Dharavi Redevelopment Project which is a public purpose on such land is prepared and submitted for approval..."

Raju Chauhan of the Sorathiya Prajapati Development Association, an association of potters in Dharavi, said that land for the potters was on a long lease from the municipal corporation since the 1930s. Most of the potters were into their fourth generation here. "The DRP has come and our rights as tenants have been scrapped. We will challenge this in court," he said.

The Association contends that 225 sq. foot homes will be inadequate. There is a provision for people to buy extra space at construction cost, but Chauhan is not listening. "We cannot sustain the pottery business if we are relocated. This is land grab of the highest order, sanctioned by the government," he said.

The potters have a daily turnover of Rs. 1 lakh and even though they have met Mr. Mehta several times, they are unhappy with the project.

The Government did away with the consent clause for the DRP since the State was the implementing authority. If people were in favour of the project, why were there so many black flags today, Mr. Jockin asked.

He said there were no tangible benefits of the DRP for the common person. What contribution would it make to the local people, the housing sector and livelihoods, he asked. The increased Floor Space Index cap of 4.0 would only benefit the private builders, he pointed out.

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