Redeveloping Dharavi, But Which Way?

By Simpreet Singh

Development activity of any sort, essentially involves the three questions of what, how and for whom? What development means, how it is to be carried out? And for whom it is to be carried out? The protests all over the country against various projects, be it SEZs, dams, highways or industries are specifically because of the reasons of not having a consensus on the above three aspects and instead pushing ahead the projects by ignoring and bypassing the views and opinion of those who are to pay cost in terms of their land, livelihood, lives and culture. Dharavi’s redevelopment, sadly is, another example of the same.

The government of Maharashtra plans to redevelop Dharavi, the so called largest slum of Asia, spread across more than 500 acres of land. Dharavi produces goods worth 4000 crores annually, from leather products that are exported across the world or the papads that are consumed across the households in this country. The plan is to redevelop the whole area by constructing high rise buildings for which global tenders are to be invited. It is climed that the project is worth 9500 crores.

The notification for Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) was issued on 19th January and afterwards suggestions/ objections were invited on the same. It is worth mentioning that this process of consultation is a statutory binding on the State as per the provisions of Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act(MRTP) 19 . Though the hearing on the objections were started in the second week of June the Expression of Interest(EOI) document which has the cost of Rs 1 lakh was issued on 30 May. Those who participate in the process of Public Hearings are aware that most of them end up only as mere formalities and nothing more. But at least as a banality the formalities are undertaken. But in this case even the formality was violated. The EOI could only have been issued if the project profile was clear and decided upon. Since an effective hearing requires due application of mind and that could lead to fundamental changes to the project parameters and profiles. However with the EIO passed already before hearing, then what is the meaning of calling a hearing? This question is to be answered by those undertaking the project ahead. They owe an answer.

After the 74th constitutional amendment, urban planning has been delegated to the domain of urban self governance bodies. But the State governments have been encroaching over their right under several pretexts. In case of Dharavi Redevelopment, they took the excuse of section 37 AA of the MRTP Act, which gives power to the state government to draw development plans for an area in case of issues of public interest are involved. So DRP can be held valid only if it stands the test of Public Interest. As per the claims of the Project proponents, the project will provide for the rehabilitation of some 57,000 families. Surprisingly, the Authorities responsible for the implementation of the project have not been able to provide the basis of such a figure. When was the survey conducted, what is the number of total resident families, number of commercial units etc. As per the Census data, the population of Dharavi is 8 lakhs, meaning 1 lakh 33 thousand families. So in simple terms it means that redeveloping Dharavi would leave more than 65,000 families home less. Now any project that displaces more than it rehabilitates cannot be termed to be in Public Interest. Any person of sound mind won’t dare to say that! Our politicians and bureaucrats might!

Surprisingly the earlier rules provided for the mandatory 70 % consent of the residents for approval of any project. This has been done away with, in the DRP. On the one hand, we hear every day of people’s participation and decentralisation, in reality every rule that provided space for people’s participation is being done away with. Just few kms away from Dharavi is the office of District Planning Officer, who has been delegated with the responsibility of formulating the annual plans for the district, which includes Dharavi. And this process involves the participation of the local councillors, MLA.s and local residents. The office surprisingly is unaware of the planning process undertaken for DRP, as is case of the over all planning of urban development. Though District Planning Committee has constitutional mandate under the 74th constitutional amendment, but who cares!

The re-development of Dharavi falls in the line of the over all make over of the Mumbai city. In 2004, Bombay First a NGO floated by corporates entrusted McKinsey International of bringing out a Vision Mumbai report which talked of Shangisation of Mumbai. One of the thrust areas of the report was slums. It recommended reducing the slum population of Mumbai to les than 10 per cent of the total population by 2011. But what was not mentioned was the way to achieve this.

Followingly, the state government went on a reckless demolition drive which rendered more than 3 lakh people home less. This illegal eviction drive was challenged and resisted by the affected slum dwellers, but the drive has received fresh impetus with the National Urban Renewal Mission and the mentioning of Mumbai to be developed as a Global Financial Centre in this year's Union Budget. The plans are to develop Mumbai as a hub for the Global financial players to provide financial services. A High Powered Expert Committee's Report talks of it in great details. One of the impetus of the Report is to over haul magnificently the infrastructure of the city. The Report recommends of equipping Mumbai for this with world class infrastructural facilities, in order to attract around 50,000 high level people to be employed by global financial firms.

Now where does Dharavi fits in this scheme? Dharavi today actually lies in the heart of the city and is the only left vast tract of land that can be made available for carrying out fresh construction activities. The tragedy of Dharavi is, that it is in close proximity to the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), the International Financial & Business Centre. With the proposal of making Mumbai as a Global Finance Centre they would like to start with the expansion of BKC, for which Dharavi is the next location. Any way, the other area around, that is the slums of nearby Kurla area have already been evicted under the pretext of Mithi River development and huge area has been made available for the development of corporate sector.

No one would disagree to the notion of redeveloping Dharavi. But definitely there would be different views of how to go about it. And the state government with not consulting its residents has given rise to contestations. Manik Prabhavati, a local activist says "our politicians are eager to permit the global companies to set there base in Dharavi, at the same time are evicting thousands of units of self employment that not only have a turn over of 4000 crores but are also a source of employment to lakhs of local residents. And for these activities the locals demand no concessions from the government, as our corporate houses are availing today under Special Economic Zones. Can our government just give us the concession of leaving us as we are?"

The questions raised by the protesting residents are simple and similar to those raised by other project affected. Do they have any rights over the resources they live on? In this case it is land. Is it not necessary for our governments to consult its citizens? Or are we subjects & not citizens. Does they have any share in the development process that is being carried out? Or they just fit in the definition of Project Affected People and be contended with rehabilitation packages and not rights. Do they also keep silence and let their houses, livelihoods and lives be evicted and destroyed in the name of larger public interest? The greed of global bidders is encroaching upon the needs of the local. The State needs to check it out, in its own interest.




(Simpreet Singh, based in Mumbai, is an activist with Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan-NAPM and can be reached at gbgbandolan@gmail.com)