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 have no place in the new concept of Dharavi.

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 BJP 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.

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