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Dharavi formula: Pay more for extra space.........Rajshri Mehta
Those residing in 300- plus sq ft houses will get 400 sq ft in the redevelopment plan Mumbai: For the 10 lakh residents of India's most famous slum -- Dharavi - this year may yield a long-standing promise by politicians.
The state government is contemplating increasing the minimum size of all flats for slumdwellers to 400 sq ft. However, this is applicable only for those who currently reside in more than 300 sq ft houses. The slumdwellers will have to pay construction cost for the excess 100 sq ft at a concession rate which is yet to be fixed by the government.
In the run-up to this Lok Sabha election, much of the debate in Dharavi had focused on the Rs9,300-crore Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP). Residents had felt that the government's decision to give them 225 sq ft apartments was a raw deal since many of their homes -- for many also their work spaces -- were larger.
Eknath Gaikwad, the Congress candidate from South-Central Mumbai and the sitting MP from North-Central Mumbai, had initially supported the government's 225 sq ft proposal, but changed his stand after protests against the plan grew louder. He then promised to give residents 300 sq ft apartments. His main opponent, Suresh Gambhir of Shiv Sena, had promised to give them no less than 400 sq ft.
According to Maharashtra Housing and Area Development (Mhada) officials, apart from the Rs20,000 given by the developer, the government would also contribute to the maintenance corpus fund with another Rs20,000. "This will help create greater resources at the start -- Rs 40,000 per flat -- for maintenance," said Gautam Chatterjee, vice president, Mhada.
After running into a series of roadblocks, the DRP is firmly on course. By the end of the month the government will finalise the master plan for one of the five sectors. Two-tier type of development of ground plus 10 and ground plus 14 have been proposed. Mashaal, a pune-based NGO, has partially completed the socio-economic survey of Dharavi residents.
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