The much-awaited survey work of each tenement of residents in the Dharavi redevelopment project (DRP) started from Kamala Raman Nagar on Monday. The survey began with each house being given a unique number and will be followed by a laser survey — also known as Lidar survey, a remote sensing method that uses rapid light pulses from a near-infrared laser to collect measurements — of each lane. Subsequently, a survey team will visit each tenement and collect data from each tenement holder, said a DRP official. DRP CEO, SVR Srinivas on Monday said, “We urge people to support and provide all valid details so the survey can be done easily and efficiently. A socio-economic survey will also be conducted and the data will be stored in a centralised system.” He added that this was the first slum redevelopment project where even occupants on the first, second and third floors of the hutment will be given houses under a rental housing scheme. An Adani group official said that on Monday, the survey work started on the Railway land of Kamala Raman Nagar — which is also part of Dharavi, comprising hutments, railway employees and officers quarters. The entire survey, which is expected to be finished by October or November end. “The selection of this location is done since here there is no need to shift families to transit or rental houses. Meaning, along with numbering of houses, new redeveloped buildings can be constructed without the need of shifting,” the officials said, adding this will also build confidence among other residents as they will get houses at the same place. Spread over 2.8 sq km, the Dharavi slum area is home to an informal leather and pottery industry that employs over one lakh people. The state had envisaged that this area will be transformed into a cluster of high-rises with improved urban infrastructure. It entailed resettling 68,000 people, including slum dwellers and those with commercial establishments. In November 2022, Adani Realty quoted Rs 5,069 crore for the project in the bidding process and emerged the winner.
