Dharavi redevelopment: Adani starts work on 10,432 homes in Mumbai, with phased handovers planned until 2030
Construction of 10,432 rehabilitation homes for eligible Dharavi residents has begun on a 22-acre railway land parcel in Mumbai’s Matunga, marking a significant step in the long-delayed redevelopment of one of the city’s most densely populated settlements.
What will the rehabilitation homes offer?
The project was formally launched on Monday, 12 October, with a bhoomi poojan ceremony attended by Pranav Adani, director of Adani Enterprises, along with senior Maharashtra government officials.
Adani Navbharat Developers Private Limited (ANDPL), the special purpose vehicle implementing the redevelopment, will oversee construction.
The site will accommodate 10 towers, each rising between 37 and 39 storeys. Alongside the residential units, the development will include 1,379 commercial and industrial units, an important component for a community where homes and livelihoods have long existed side by side.
According to the project details released by the company, each rehabilitation flat will measure 350 square feet. The buildings are planned with 10 to 12 passenger lifts apiece, alongside dedicated fire lifts and separate lifts for commercial and industrial spaces.
The proposed facilities include community halls, kindergarten facilities, podium gardens, seating areas, society offices and places of worship. The aim is to provide residents with more than replacement housing, incorporating shared spaces and everyday amenities into the new residential complex.
The allocation will be made to eligible residents under the rehabilitation framework. Residents from Sectors 6 and 1 are expected to receive homes first, followed by nearly 4,500 flats for other eligible Dharavi residents on a priority basis.
When will the buildings be completed?
The 10 towers are scheduled to be handed over to the Dharavi Redevelopment Project and Slum Rehabilitation Authority in three phases.
The first five buildings are targeted for completion by March 2029. Two more are scheduled for August 2029, while the remaining three are expected to be handed over by August 2030.
ANDPL has also committed to maintaining the buildings and their common infrastructure for the first 10 years after handover. Ten per cent of the commercial space in each rehabilitation building will be reserved to generate revenue towards the upkeep of shared facilities.
The phased schedule means residents will not all move into their new homes at once. Actual occupancy will depend on construction, handover and the rehabilitation authority’s allocation process.
How this fits into Dharavi’s wider redevelopment
Dharavi is home to more than one million people, according to the project developer, and its redevelopment involves a complex mix of residential neighbourhoods, small businesses and industrial activity.
The Matunga construction site is part of a wider plan to improve housing and infrastructure while addressing the challenge of rehabilitating eligible residents.
The broader redevelopment vision includes schools, healthcare facilities, shops, parks and public transport connections, with essential services intended to be accessible within a 15-minute walk.
However, the scale of the undertaking means that housing delivery is only one part of the process. Eligibility, rehabilitation arrangements and the continuity of livelihoods remain important considerations in a settlement where many households depend on home-based work and small enterprises.
The developer has said the project is intended to improve living conditions while protecting local businesses. Whether those ambitions translate into practical benefits will depend on how the redevelopment is implemented and how effectively residents are accommodated through the transition.
