Billionaire Adani’s Dharavi Revamp Hits Roadblock: Struggles to Secure Land for Mumbai Slum Redevelopment

Billionaire Gautam Adani’s ambitious plan to redevelop Mumbai’s Dharavi slum is facing a major obstacle. The project, which aims to transform one of Asia’s largest slums into a modern city hub, is struggling to secure the necessary land for rehabilitation.

Dharavi, known for its crowded living conditions and featured in the movie “Slumdog Millionaire,” covers an area about three-quarters the size of New York’s Central Park. After winning a $619 million bid last year, Adani Group planned to convert the 240-hectare slum into a new urban center. However, the project has faced protests from opposition parties who claim the contract was unfairly awarded, though Adani Group denies these claims.

The latest issue is that only residents who lived in Dharavi before the year 2000 are eligible for free homes in the redevelopment. To house the remaining 700,000 people who don’t qualify, Adani’s joint venture needs at least 580 additional acres of land. Despite applying for land from various local and federal agencies, they have not been able to secure any.

SVR Srinivas, head of the Dharavi Redevelopment Authority, said that getting land in Mumbai is extremely difficult, and so far, no land has been allocated to the project. He expressed concern that these delays could affect the project’s timeline, as construction cannot proceed without land.

Adani Group, which leads the joint venture with the Dharavi Redevelopment Authority, has not yet commented on the issue. The project, which began in March with a survey to determine eligibility, aims to rehouse one million people and is expected to be completed in seven years.

Mumbai is one of India’s most expensive real estate markets, making land acquisition particularly challenging. Adani has acknowledged the difficulties of the Dharavi project but remains hopeful that it will transform the area and improve living conditions for its residents.