Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 12 (ANI): Pranav Adani, Director, Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL), performed Bhoomi Poojan at the 22-acre Matunga railway site on Monday, marking the start of rehabilitation construction for Dharavi, one of Asia’s largest informal settlements and home to more than one million residents.
The site will accommodate ten high-rise towers comprising 10,432 rehabilitation apartments alongside 1,379 commercial and industrial units. The executing special purpose vehicle, Adani Navbharat Developers Private Limited (ANDPL), a joint venture between the Maharashtra government and the Adani Group, will allocate 350-square-foot flats to eligible families under an in-situ rehabilitation framework.
Eligible residents from Sectors 6 and 1 will receive initial occupancy, followed by nearly 4,500 homes allocated on a priority basis to other eligible dwellers. The event was attended by Aseem Kumar Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary of Maharashtra’s Urban Development Department, as Guest of Honour and Mahendra Kalyankar, Chief Executive Officer of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project/Slum Rehabilitation Authority (DRP/SRA).
“Every family deserves a home where they feel secure and can plan for the future. We know what this means to Dharavi’s families,” said Pranav Adani, Director of Adani Enterprises Limited.
“At Matunga, we are building 10 towers with 10,432 homes and 1,379 commercial and industrial units, creating neighbourhoods where families can live better and build a brighter future for their children,” Adani added.
Government authorities highlighted the operational goals of the urban renewal initiative.
“This is an important step for Dharavi’s families,” said Mahendra Kalyankar, CEO of DRP/SRA.
“Our focus is on providing safe, modern homes with the infrastructure and amenities needed for a better quality of life,” Kalyankar said.
Each structure will rise between 37 and 39 floors, equipped with ten to 12 passenger elevators, two fire lifts, and two separate elevators dedicated to commercial zones. The layout incorporates community halls, kindergarten facilities, podium gardens, sit-out spaces, administrative offices and places of worship.
The towers will be handed over to the DRP/SRA in three distinct phases: the first five structures by March 2029, two in August 2029, and the remaining three by August 2030. ANDPL will manage upkeep for ten years post-handover, funded partly by reserving ten per cent of commercial space for maintenance revenues.
“The Dharavi Experience Centre gave residents a first look at the planned homes and neighbourhoods,” said Anil Sardana, Chief Executive Officer of ANDPL.
“With construction beginning, our focus is on delivery and long-term upkeep. We will maintain each building and its common infrastructure for 10 years after handover,” Sardana said.
The broader scheme envisages a township where schools, medical centres, public transit, and retail spaces remain accessible within a 15-minute walk. Design inputs involve international and domestic consultancies, including Sasaki, Buro Happold, StudioPOD, architect Hafeez Contractor, P&T, ARC Studio and Singapore-based planners. (ANI)
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