Dharavi Redevelopment Update: State Government Designates About 256 Acres Salt Pan Land
Mumbai: The Maharashtra state government has approved the allocation of nearly 256 acres of salt pan land for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP). These plots, located in Mulund, Kanjurmarg, and Bhandup, are set to accommodate residents deemed ineligible for resettlement within Dharavi itself.
Despite environmental concerns over the use of salt pan land, DRP CEO SVR Srinivas clarified that the parcels lie west of the Eastern Expressway and are not near the sea. “These lands have been inactive for salt production for almost a decade, and the sea hasn’t reached them since the construction of the expressway,” Srinivas said, emphasizing their suitability for development.
Srinivas assured that the plots are free from Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) restrictions and are not part of flood buffer zones. “The actual ecologically sensitive areas, including wetlands and flamingo habitats, are on the east side of the expressway,” he added.
The DRP has committed to securing all mandatory environmental clearances before beginning construction. The project will comply with all environmental regulations to ensure legal and ecological integrity.
These salt pan lands were designated for affordable housing under the Development Plan 2034, which was approved in 2018 when the United Shiv Sena held power in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the state government. In 2007, a Congress-led government also proposed utilizing over 2,000 hectares of salt pan land to relocate people affected by redevelopment projects.
Mumbai’s 2014–2034 Development Plan projected a demand for one million affordable homes by 2021, including 350,000 for economically weaker sections. “Without salt pan land, redevelopment in Mumbai is impossible,” said former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
However, the decision to use these lands has drawn criticism, even as both central and state governments aim to provide dignified housing to lakhs of slum dwellers. The Excise and Customs Department is already constructing a large office and staff housing complex on 55 acres of salt pan land in Wadala.
Additionally, 15 acres in Kanjur have been set aside for the Metro Line 6 car shed, which connects Vikhroli and Swami Samarth Nagar. The previous MVA government had even proposed using Kanjur salt pan land for a consolidated car shed serving four metro lines—3, 4, 6, and 14.
A spokesperson from NMDPL questioned the criticism of housing development on salt pan land, stating, “If car sheds don’t cause flooding, why would homes for the poor? The opposition lacks a long-term vision for Mumbai.”