Maharashtra Government To Lease Salt Pan Lands From Centre for Dharavi Redevelopment

The Maharashtra government has approved a proposal to lease 283.40 acres of salt pan lands in Mumbai from the central government for a period of 99 years. These lands will be used for the rehabilitation of residents displaced by the ongoing Dharavi redevelopment project.

The decision, cleared at a state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, underscores the state's commitment to addressing urban housing challenges. The proposal, put forth by the state housing department, signals a pivotal step forward in transforming Dharavi's landscape.

It was mentioned that a distinct proposal for transferring the salt pan lands, designated for the rehabilitation of select Dharavi residents as part of the slum redevelopment project, will be promptly submitted to the Union government.

The statement clarified that the market value of the entire 283.40 acres of land will be recuperated from the special purpose vehicle (SPV) established for the Dharavi slum colony's redevelopment. Subsequently, these funds will be transferred to the Centre.

Last July, the Maharashtra government officially granted the Dharavi redevelopment project, covering 259 hectares, to a firm within the Adani group. This multi-crore initiative, to be overseen by an SPV, encompasses the ambitious task of reconstructing Dharavi, Asia's largest slum sprawl, situated in central Mumbai.