Dharavi Redevelopment Project: Reduced Transit Rent For Non-Cooperating Residents

The Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP), via ANDPL, reduces transit rent for residents who deliberately delay vacating hutments, while keeping full benefits for cooperators. The move aims to accelerate rehab construction and avoid cost overruns, with legal backing under Maharashtra law to address non-cooperation.

India

-Oneindia Staff

Published: Sunday, September 27, 2026, 20:31 [IST]

Residents who deliberately delay vacating hutments required for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) will now receive reduced transit rent, according to the Adani Dharavi Project Pvt Ltd (ANDPL), the special purpose vehicle (SPV) overseeing the project. The move does not affect the thousands of residents who are cooperating and voluntarily vacating their homes, who will continue to receive full transit rent and shifting benefits.

The decision follows recent experience on the ground. After demolition notices were served for 16 hutments, DRP counselled the affected families — twelve agreed to move voluntarily, while the remaining four did not vacate, forcing DRP to seek police assistance. In a separate, more recent instance, DRP identified another 85 hutments for demolition, and following counselling, all 85 families vacated voluntarily without any use of force.

According to ANDPL, these cases show that while counselling continues to work for the vast majority of residents, a small number are deliberately delaying the process, holding up the project for everyone else. “Counselling has helped families move voluntarily, and that remains the approach. But rehab construction cannot begin while a site is partly occupied. When vacation is deliberately held up, thousands of other families wait longer for their rehabilitation homes, while labour and equipment costs continue to rise,” an ANDPL spokesperson said.

A project touching nearly 10 lakh lives

The Dharavi Redevelopment Project is being positioned as a landmark public infrastructure initiative, offering residential, commercial and industrial benefits to eligible occupants under its rules. For the first time, eligible ground-floor residents whose homes existed on or before January 1, 2000, will receive a 350 sq ft home within Dharavi, free of cost. Those in the post-2000-to-2011 category will be entitled to a 300 sq ft home within city limits on payment of Rs 2.5 lakh. Residents who moved in after January 1, 2011, along with all upper-floor residents whose homes existed by November 15, 2022, will be covered under an affordable rental policy for 300 sq ft homes outside Dharavi.

“A few cases of deliberate delay should not hold up the homes and other benefits due to almost 10 lakh people,” the spokesperson added.

Legal backing for action against deliberate delay

ANDPL said the reduced rates are meant to discourage deliberate stalling by non-cooperating residents with vested interests. Under Sections 33 and 38 of the Maharashtra Slum Areas Act, 1971, and Clauses 1.14(iii) and (iv) of Regulation 33(10A) of DCPR 2034, authorities are empowered to act against residents who deliberately attempt to delay a vital public infrastructure project — including withdrawing their entitlement to rental or transit accommodation benefits altogether.

Despite this provision, ANDPL said it will continue paying transit rent to non-cooperating residents, albeit at reduced rates, to partially offset the added costs the project incurs in such cases — including police bandobast and extra labour and equipment expenses.

Revised payment structure

The updated transit rent for non-cooperating residents is as follows:

– Ground-floor residents: Rs 15,000 per month (down from Rs 18,000)
– Upper-floor residents: Rs 12,000 per month (down from Rs 15,000)
– Commercial and industrial occupants: Rs 145 per sq ft (down from Rs 175 per sq ft)
– Non-cooperating families will also forfeit the one-time shifting allowance of Rs 5,000