Dharavi's Future: Dreams, Displacement, and Mumbai’s Urban Transformation

Flying over Mumbai, a sea of blue tarpaulin roofs stretches beneath the clouds — a mosaic that tells the story of Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum. To the world, it’s a visual of poverty. But to residents like Mrs. Anita Subhash, a 50-year-old domestic worker and mother of five, Dharavi is far more — it is the beating heart of India's financial capital.

For decades, hope flickered through the labyrinthine lanes of Dharavi, fueled by promises of long-overdue redevelopment. Mrs. Subhash, whose children have carved careers within Dharavi’s boundaries — as a teacher, salesman, and coder — had clung to dreams of a decongested, dignified future. Yet today, that hope is tinged with anxiety.

"Will they perform a bypass surgery to save our heart," she wonders aloud, "or rip it out entirely?"

The Grand Plan and Rising Fears

The Maharashtra state government, in collaboration with the Adani Group, is set to transform 240 hectares of Dharavi into a modern township. The blueprint offers two realities: rehousing existing slum residents and constructing luxury malls and apartments for Mumbai's elite.

At the center of this vision is Gautam Adani, one of India's richest businessmen. The project, if successful, could propel Adani Realty into dominance, making it a central player in India's soaring real estate market.

But the promises come at a cost.

While 60,000 families — those who lived in Dharavi before 2000 — are slated to remain and receive new 350 sq ft flats, over 100,000 families will be relocated. Their destination? Newly constructed flats on Mumbai’s distant outskirts, where residents must either rent or pay in instalments stretched over 12 years.

Toxic Relocation Sites Stir Outrage

The situation intensified when reports emerged that some families could be shifted to polluted sites like Deonar landfill, infamous for its dangerous methane emissions. Environmental experts warn that life expectancy near Deonar plummets to 39 years compared to Maharashtra’s urban average of 73.

"Are authorities sending Dharavi residents to die?" asks Raju Korde, president of Dharavi Bachao Andolan. Indian environmental law forbids building homes on active landfills — unless 15 years of closure and decontamination are completed.

Activists and urban planners are now preparing to mount legal challenges, accusing authorities of negligence and endangering lives for corporate gain.

Bulldozing the Backbone of Mumbai

Beyond health risks, shifting thousands of families threatens to dismantle Dharavi’s vibrant ecosystem. From leather to pottery to recycling industries, Dharavi's micro-economy generates an estimated US$1 billion annually.

Relocating workers to far-flung suburbs could destroy livelihoods that depend on Dharavi’s strategic location, wedged between the Bandra Kurla Complex and key transport links.

"If even a little less land was sold for profit," Mr. Korde argues, "every family could stay in Dharavi."

Urban researcher Hussain Indorewala echoes this sentiment, warning that pushing working-class communities to the margins could exacerbate Mumbai’s inequality, making affordable urban housing increasingly unattainable.

Adani’s Growing Urban Empire

The Dharavi transformation is just one facet of Adani’s expanding footprint in Mumbai. With operations at both Mumbai’s current airport and the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport, along with numerous real estate projects like Bharat Nagar and Bandra Reclamation, Adani is poised to become India’s largest real estate developer within five years.

To make the Dharavi project financially viable, the Maharashtra government introduced new regulations favoring Adani — including mandating all builders in Mumbai to buy a portion of transferable development rights (TDR) generated through Dharavi redevelopment.

While some experts praise Adani’s risk appetite and the state’s willingness to push the project forward, critics argue that it grants Adani a near-monopoly over Mumbai’s future skyline.

Waiting for the Masterplan

Back in Dharavi, Mrs. Subhash waits. Not just for a flat or a fresh start, but for a guarantee — that her family’s story won’t be erased in Mumbai’s rush toward gleaming towers and shopping malls.

"I don't want my children to struggle the way I did," she says.

"I want Dharavi to be redeveloped — but in a way that lifts us up, not drives us out."