Dharavi Redevelopment Project Faces Protests and Scrutiny Over Eligibility Survey

Residents raise concerns about the drone-based survey and demand clarity on rehabilitation plans as illegal constructions are flagged for exclusion.

The Dharavi Redevelopment Project is using a 2023 drone survey to identify illegal constructions, which may disqualify residents from rehabilitation benefits.
Ground-floor residents who settled before January 1, 2000, are eligible for free 350 sq ft homes in Dharavi, while others face varying terms based on settlement dates and tenement types.
Protests have erupted from residents demanding transparency in the redevelopment process, including access to the master plan and assurances of local rehousing for businesses and communities like Kumbharwada.
Officials emphasize that illegal structures, including new upper floors and retrofitted tenements built after the survey, will not be eligible for redevelopment benefits.
The project aims to transform Dharavi into a modern township, but concerns linger over the role of private developers and the accuracy of ongoing surveys.