Dharavi Redevelopment Project Update: State Government Designates About 256 Acres Salt Pan Land

Mumbai: The state government has approved the allocation of approximately 256 acres of salt pan land for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP). These land parcels are in Mulund, Kanjurmarg and Bhandup. While the proposed development of these salt pan lands to rehouse ineligible Dharavikars has raised environmental concerns, a senior DRP official has clarified that they are on the western side of the Eastern Expressway, away from the sea for nearly a decade, and are completely safe for development.

“Years ago, these parcels were officially decommissioned by the Salt Commissioner of India. No salt manufacturing has been happening there for nearly a decade now. The seawater never even reached these areas after the construction of the Eastern Expressway. There is no issue with construction of affordable housing there and, unless we don’t take such judicious steps today, the city could crumble under the population burden in the coming years,” DRP CEO SVR Srinivas said. He clarified that these lands are no longer flood buffers and do not fall under CRZ regulations. “The actual creek and wetlands, which attract migratory birds like flamingos, lie east of the expressway. The west side, where the DRP lands are located, has no such ecological sensitivity or CRZ restrictions.

All necessary environmental clearances will be duly obtained prior to the commencement of construction activities. The project will strictly adhere to all applicable environmental regulations, and work will begin only after receiving the requisite green approvals and ensuring full compliance with statutory norms,” Srinivas added. Salt pan lands have been earmarked for affordable housing under the Development Plan (DP) 2034, approved in 2018, when the United Shiv Sena was in power in MCGM and part of the state government.

Back in 2007, the Congress-led government had also proposed using over 2,000 hectares for resettling project-affected people. Mumbai’s Development Plan 2014–34 estimated a need for 10 lakh affordable homes by 2021, including 3.5 lakh for the economically weaker sections. As Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “Without using salt pan land, Mumbai’s redevelopment is impossible.” Yet when the Centre and the State are trying to bring dignity to lakhs of slum dwellers, the same move is being opposed. The central government’s Excise and Customs Department is already constructing a large office-cumstaff quarters complex on 55 acres of salt pan land in Wadala.

In addition, 15 acres of salt pan land in Kanjur have been allocated for the car shed of Metro Line 6, which runs between Vikhroli and Swami Samarth Nagar (Lokhandwala Complex). Interestingly, the previous MVA government had proposed using the same Kanjur salt pan land for an integrated car shed for four metro lines – Line 3 (Colaba to SEEPZ), Line 4 (Kasarvadavali to Wadala), Line 6 and Line 14 (Kanjur to Ambernath). “It beats logic that if building car sheds wouldn’t cause flooding, why constructing homes for the poor would? This highlights that those opposing the use of salt pan land for affordable housing [for slum dwellers] lack a long-term vision for Mumbai’s growth,” an NMDPL spokesperson said.

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