Indian billionaire Gautam Adani seeks to transform Mumbai's Dharavi slum into a modern urban hub, but resettling its one-million-strong population poses significant challenges. Delve into the chronology of Dharavi's development and previous unsuccessful attempts to revamp this 594-acre (240-hectare) slum.
-1800s: Dharavi's expansion parallels the influx of migrants into Bombay, now Mumbai. By the late 1800s, potters, leather tanners, artisans, and embroidery workers had established trade and businesses in the area. Slum dwellers settled on these lands, constructing huts in an unplanned manner, according to authorities.
-1971-76: The Maharashtra state government passes legislation aimed at improving living conditions in Mumbai's slums, offering residents access to taps, toilets, and electrical connections.
-2004-05: Maharashtra approves the redevelopment of Dharavi and appoints the Slum Rehabilitation Authority to formulate the project.
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-2007-08: A survey conducted by the Maharashtra Social Housing and Action League, a non-governmental organization, identifies roughly 47,000 legal residents and 13,000 commercial structures in Dharavi. However, this figure excludes many others residing on upper floors, and the informal population continues to grow in subsequent years.
-Until 2016: The state government endeavors to attract developers to overhaul Dharavi but fails to generate interest.
-2018: Maharashtra releases a tender for the redevelopment of Dharavi, spanning seven years, through a 20% government and 80% privately held partnership. Bidders include Dubai's SecLink consortium and India's Adani Group.
-2019: SecLink secures the highest bid at $871 million, with Adani placing second with a $548 million bid.
-2020: The Maharashtra government cancels the 2018 tender, citing alterations in project costs resulting from land acquisition after the bidding process concluded. This necessitates a restart of the process.
-2020: SecLink takes legal action against the Maharashtra government in the High Court of Bombay, alleging wrongful cancellation of the tender. The state denies any wrongdoing.
-2022: Maharashtra issues a new tender with revised terms. The Adani Group submits a bid of $614 million, with India's DLF and other entities also participating. SecLink opts not to bid.
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-2023: The state government awards the Dharavi project to the Adani Group. SecLink includes the Adani Group in its lawsuit against the state government. Legal proceedings ensue, with both Adani and the state government contesting allegations of misconduct in their court filings.
Gautam Adani's ambition to transform Mumbai's Dharavi slum into a modern urban center represents a significant undertaking, given the challenges of relocating its one-million-strong population. This endeavor follows a history of redevelopment efforts, which faced repeated setbacks. As Adani Group assumes responsibility for this colossal project, ongoing legal disputes underscore the complexities of rejuvenating this sprawling urban area.
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