Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai
Mumbai, Jul 24: More than half of Mumbai's slum land is either under redevelopment or caught in stalled projects, highlighting the unprecedented scale of the Maharashtra government's drive to transform the city into a "slum-free Mumbai", according to data from the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA).
SRA data shows that redevelopment projects spanning 2,751 acres—about 56 per cent of Mumbai's total 4,882 acres of slum land—are either under construction or stalled. Of this, 2,156 acres are currently being redeveloped, while projects covering 595 acres have come to a standstill.
There are 1,202 active redevelopment projects involving over 3.21 lakh hutments, while another 271 stalled projects affect nearly 89,200 hutments.
Real estate expert Pankaj Kapoor, founder and managing director of Liases Foras, said the sharp rise in redevelopment projects has been driven by favourable government policies, limited land availability within Greater Mumbai and the high real estate value of many slum locations.
However, he cautioned that the increasing number of stalled projects remains a concern.
"Historically, around 20 to 25 per cent of real estate projects get stalled. In slum redevelopment, the percentage is even higher, indicating significant execution risks," Kapoor said, adding that some projects may have become financially unviable due to lower redevelopment potential.
Despite the rapid pace of redevelopment, a large number of families are still awaiting rehabilitation. Around 2.85 lakh hutments spread across 607 proposed projects covering 1,015 acres remain in the pipeline.
Since the SRA was established in 1995, only 631 redevelopment projects covering 556 acres have been completed, providing permanent housing to around 2.94 lakh families. The future of nearly 3.1 lakh hutments across another 560 acres remains undecided.
Social activist Medha Patkar welcomed the expansion of redevelopment but stressed that rehabilitation should remain centred on the rights of slum residents.
She said eligible families should be provided permanent housing before demolition and demanded that rental compensation during construction be aligned with prevailing market rates. Patkar also called for extending the eligibility cut-off date for rehabilitation, which currently stands at January 1, 2000.
The large-scale redevelopment forms part of the Maharashtra government's broader plan to eliminate slums through cluster redevelopment projects.
Among the 607 projects in the pipeline are 19 cluster redevelopment schemes, each spread over at least 50 acres.
The first such project, covering 101.36 acres at Juhu Lane-Gilbert Hill in Andheri West, has been awarded to Reliance 4IR Realty Development Ltd in partnership with Mahadev Realtors. The project is expected to rehabilitate more than 28,000 slum dwellers.
SRA Chief Executive Officer Mahendra Kalyankar described the project as a milestone for Mumbai's redevelopment efforts, saying it would serve as a model for future cluster redevelopment initiatives across the city.
The redevelopment programme is expected to expand further, with proposals for three additional cluster projects covering Antop Hill, Majaswadi in Jogeshwari East and Behrampada in Bandra East already submitted to the state government for approval.
Industry experts believe the cluster redevelopment model will enable better urban planning, improved infrastructure, wider roads, enhanced civic amenities and faster delivery of rehabilitation housing while attracting greater participation from large private developers.