Anuj Puri, Chairman – ANAROCK Property Consultants
So far, there have been no answers – only more questions
Mumbai’s Dharavi, one of the largest slums in Asia, has been an area of contention for almost two decades now.
For all its revelations, the recent blockbuster film ‘Kaala‘ only underscored what Mumbaikars, human rights activists, urban planners and real estate developers have known for decades – there is no simple formula for unravelling the complex Dharavi equation.
Occupying 535 acres of prime land in the very heart of India’s financial capital, Dharavi could be a motherlode of pure gold for developers who could get a piece of it.
Formal housing developments there would also give innumerable Mumbaikars exactly what they need – homes in the heart of the city and within a short commute to some of Mumbai’s most important workplace hubs.
Not surprisingly, the Maharashtra State Government has been eager to redevelop Dharavi. Building affordable to mid-range housing projects here would completely reinvent the residential real estate equation of Central Mumbai and also make a major contribution to the Central Government’s Housing for All by 2022 target.