The residents of Dharavi have decided to oppose any plan by the Maharashtra government to cancel the current tender or re-invite bids for the long-pending redevelopment project for Dharavi.
Dharavi which is one of the world’s largest slums is located in India's commercial capital Mumbai and is spread over an area of 2.5 square kilometres. The Dharavi Redevelopment Committee which is a federation of 52 associations of residents, has requested Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to not call for a re-tender and to expedite the process that has been on hold for over 16 years. While the redevelopment has been on the agenda of every political party since the early 2000s, it has failed to take off so far.
The committee has further highlighted the importance of the project especially with regards to the spread of the coronavirus. According to sources, the committee has stated that the government is planning to cancel the tender of Dharavi Redevelopment Project, which has already been completed, on the basis of the opinion of the advocate general raising the issue of railways land that will be added to the entire development plan. The committee has also stated that the railways land be debarred from the project if that is proving to be a hindrance to the tender process and that the work starts immediately.
Dharavi, which has a population of approximately 6,50,000 people was once declared a hotspot for the coronavirus. However, it has now managed to flatten the curve of the viral spread. According to official data, the doubling rate of cases in Dharavi was 18 days in April but it gradually improved to 43 days in May. It stood at 108 and 430 days in June and July, respectively which has made a huge difference in the larger spectrum of things. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, addressing a press conference also spoke of Dharavi, stating that the case of Dharavi has proven that even if the outbreak is intense, it can still be brought back under control with the right measures in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus.