Mumbai: No Dharavi in Dahisar

Mulund residents protesting against DRA, Dahisar octroi naka near Western Express Highway in 2010. File pic/Rane Ashish

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has refused to share the land of the Mankhurd and Dahisar octroi nakas with the Dharavi Redevelopment Authority (DRA). BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani in a letter to the state government has claimed these plots are required for civic projects. An activist from Mulund, Sagar Devre, has obtained documents through an RTI showing that the DRA is requesting land from the now-defunct Mankhurd and Dahisar octroi nakas.

A land measuring 3,660 square metres of the Dahisar octroi naka has already been handed over to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) for the extension of the toll plaza. At the site, the BMC has proposed a transport and commercial hub on the 19,000 square metre area. The tendering process for the project is already underway," Gagrani mentioned in his letter to the Urban Development Department of the state government.

Bhushan Gagrani, BMC commissioner

At the Mankhurd octroi naka land too, Gagrani mentioned that there is a proposal to develop a transport and commercial hub and a treatment plant for sewage sludge on the 30,000 square metre area of the octroi naka. At Mulund, Gagrani said the BMC was ready to share land of the Mulund octroi naka and Mulund dumping ground step by step.

Gagrani has already informed the state government about proposed projects and the current status of the plots at the Mankhurd and Dahisar octroi nakas. According to the RTI document obtained by RTI activist, the DRA is seeking land parcels in various areas of Mumbai like Kurla Dairy land, and salt pan land and from various authorities, like BMC, MMRDA, the Collector. The total area of the land needed by the DRA around Mumbai is more than 684 acres.

Residents of Mulund during a meeting regarding the PAP project. File pic

Residents of Dharavi and Mulund have come together against the DRA. They have written a letter to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday, requesting a meeting regarding the project. Mulund residents opposed the proposal for the rehabilitation of the disqualified families from the Dharavi Redevelopment in Mulund. "We have written a letter to CM Eknath Shinde. Our demand is clear: do not put the burden on Mulund's infrastructure and residents of Dharavi. It is clear they will not move from Dharavi. Also, we have a few questions about the project, like why this project needs so much land. We have raised all these points in letters," Devre said.