Mumbai -- Project News and Developments

[Jai]

Dharavi makeover gets going

DNA Epaper 6 April

Invitation to the global tender process for the massive urban renewal project will begin next month

Smita Deshmukh



Decks are cleared for the much-delayed Rs 9,300-crore Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) as the Expression of Interest (EOI) for the biggest urban renewal project in Asia is set to come out by the third week of May.

A final presentation of the master plan, which has undergone a series of changes in the last two years, will be made to Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh in the May second week for his nod.

The 535-acre Dharavi will be now divided into five sectors of roughly 100 acres each to be converted into independent townships comprising residential, commercial and industrial areas with a Floor Space Index (FSI) of 4.

“The thrust of the plan continues to be designed by architect Mukesh Mehta. Bids will be invited for each sector and no developer or consor tium will be given the entire project.

We will build 20,000 transit tenements in Dharavi to ensure that residents need not move out during the construction,’’ said IS Chahal, Officer-on-Special Duty (OSD), DRP.

Sources told DNA that the bid would be entertained only from companies with a net worth of 40 per cent of the project cost. This means leading city builders will have to form consortiums to be in the race or international developers would chip in.

However, the schedule of the entire project depends on the clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) – a task which the DRP has entitled to the selected developers after the bidding process is over.

“MoEF requires all design details, which the developer must submit and the state will back them for necessary support,” said Chahal.

From the original 12-sector plan with a central park in the middle surrounded by buildings, the new Dharavi master plan now spreads into five big sectors, offering major scope of work.

“Each sector will have a polyclinic, over three to four primary schools, one secondary school and one college. There will be open spaces and recreational areas in each sector. The plan will give the state Rs1,850 crore worth high-quality infrastructure like roads, toilets, schools and colleges all free of cost,” said Mukesh Mehta.

With a series of tall buildings slated to dominate the Dharavi skyline, Mehta admitted that the sale component buildings would be high rises. “We do not want any Transfer of Development Right (TDR) to come out of Dharavi to be used further in the northern suburbs,” he insisted. Along with buildings, a corresponding plan on aesthetics and character of the new structures is being worked. “Personally, I would love to give it an art deco look to ensure that Dharavi connects at some level with South Mumbai. :| But many feel that art deco is past and regressive. Modern architectural style could be considered ,” he added.


Changing the face
There are 56,000 households, each will get 225 sq ft houses free

There are 4,500 industrial units, each will get 225 sq ft free and the rest have to be purchased at market rate

Each sector will have its own public amenities

The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council will set up more than 300 industries

The National Institute of Design has proposed a leather village spread over 12.5 acres with small factories and show rooms. It also has plans to convert the existing kumbhar wada into a state-of-the-art ceramic centre based on cooperative model.

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BTW, I finally found Architect Mukesh Mehta's website: http://www.supportourslums.com. Unfortunately, nothing especially interesting there.