Mumbai: Residents of chawls and buildings that have been included in the Dharavi Redevelopment Project will get a minimum of 500 sq ft carpet area rehabilitation flats to a maximum of 754 sq ft free of cost. This will benefit around 8,700 households in Dharavi that have been included in the Dharavi Notified Area. This includes chawls and housing societies.This follows instructions from CM Devendra Fadnavis at a war meeting in May last year to the DRP to submit a proposal for a minimum carpet area of 500 sq ft to the govt for approval along with reasons. Accordingly, DRP submitted a proposal of a minimum carpet area of 500 sq ft (370 sq ft carpet area plus 35% fungible area) with the condition that the developer will not be entitled to incentive floor space index on the fungible area. Further, the provision will not be applicable to slum dwellers under DRP.The state urban development dept on Thursday issued a notice to amend Regulation 33(9)(A) of the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR)-2034 to enable the change and has invited objections/suggestions from the public. Earlier, the govt offered 400 sq feet carpet to these residents, which was strongly opposed.Residents are, however, sceptical about the govt proposal. “The master plan for Dharavi has still not been publicised. We do not know what exactly is the plan. Where shall we be rehabilitated, will we be given homes in Dharavi, Matunga or elsewhere? The slums are being evicted when they promised key-to-key rehabilitation. There is an atmosphere of fear, there is no transparency,” said Reedan Fernando, coordinator, DRP Sector 1 Rahiwasi Kruti Sangh.Rajesh Sharma, a resident, said there are 45 buildings in Shahu Nagar and the flat area varies between 275 to 375 sq feet. “Since 2004 our demand has been that we must be given 750 sq ft flats. If that is what the govt is offering us in Dharavi itself, then we have no objections,” he said.DRP officials said 11,000 rehab flats are being constructed in Phase I on the railway land. However, the land is not vacant and there are existing slums on it. Hence, residents will now need to be temporarily vacated. “This temporary relocation is only for Phase I. Later, residents will not be required to be shifted out,” said a senior DRP official. However, sources said the temporary relocation will be for the entire project.
