Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Dec 23: After remaining confined to planning documents for nearly five decades, Mumbai’s proposed 120-foot Development Plan (DP) Road has finally begun taking shape on the ground, following a prolonged battle involving political rivalry, legal hurdles, land acquisition issues and resistance from a slum colony in Kandivali east.
The crucial stretch of the DP Road, spanning 250 metres, cuts through Singh Estate — a settlement of 310 slum families — which had emerged as the biggest obstacle in the execution of the long-pending infrastructure project.
Originally included in Mumbai’s Development Plan in 1967 as an alternative route to the Western Express Highway, the 5.2-km-long DP Road from Dahisar to Goregaon was reiterated in subsequent Development Plans of 1991 and 2014. However, only 580 metres of the road falls within Kandivali east, making the stalled portion a critical missing link.
Singh Estate residents resisted eviction for over a decade, seeking what they described as fair and just rehabilitation. While officially categorised as slum dwellers, many families lived in large houses, some exceeding 1,000 sq ft, complete with backyards and parking spaces.
Their resistance found political backing due to a constituency divide. While Lokhandwala Township — a major beneficiary of the road — falls under the Kandivali east constituency represented by BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar, Singh Estate comes under the Magathane constituency, represented by Shiv Sena MLA Prakash Surve, who supported the residents’ demands.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) began land acquisition for the DP Road in phases, including land classified as private forest, property owned by Mahindra & Mahindra, MHADA land and land belonging to a private developer. By 2020, most of the land had been acquired.
However, rehabilitation of Singh Estate residents proved to be the most challenging. Initial offers of 225 sq ft homes in Mahul, Chembur, were rejected due to distance and pollution concerns. A later offer of monetary compensation capped at ?50 lakh also failed to gain acceptance.
Traffic congestion along Akurli Road intensified pressure to complete the DP Road, particularly for residents of Lokhandwala Township, home to nearly 30,000 residents. Civic activists and residents’ associations intensified campaigns, while the issue was raised repeatedly in the state legislature.
In 2022, the project was declared a ‘vital infrastructure project’. Subsequently, proposals such as constructing an elevated bridge and realigning the road were explored but later dropped due to high costs, feasibility issues and legal challenges.
A public interest litigation (PIL) filed in the Bombay High Court questioned the logic of altering the project after substantial progress had already been made. Acting on court directions, Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, in October 2024, ruled out realignment and ordered rehabilitation of eligible project-affected persons (PAPs) within the vicinity, as per government policy.
Following this decision, Singh Estate residents gradually began vacating their homes. In June 2025, 47 families were allotted flats in Kandivali east, while lotteries for additional PAP homes have since been conducted.
Civic officials said rehabilitation is being carried out in phases, and eligible PAPs will be accommodated as housing becomes available nearby. The BMC has assured that construction of the DP Road will commence early next year once the remaining families are resettled.
Despite progress, scepticism remains, as further slum encroachments along the Goregaon stretch and the proposed Goregaon–Mulund Link Road may pose fresh challenges.