A drone survey conducted in 2023 will serve as the official reference for identifying tenements and vacant land within the Dharavi Notified Area (DNA). Any construction or expansion after this survey will be deemed illegal and may disqualify the property from receiving benefits under the Dharavi Redevelopment Plan, as per the Adani-owned Navbharat Mega Developers Private Ltd, a joint venture with the state government previously called as Dharavi Redevelopment Project Pvt Ltd (DRPPL). Illegal constructions include new upper floors, retrofitted tenements and any unauthorized buildings on vacant land within the DNA intended to gain eligibility for the redevelopment programme. “Coordinated action will be taken by DRP & Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). If necessary, DRP will consider barring such tenements from rehabilitation packages and associated benefits," said DRP CEO SVR Srinivas. After the commencement of the Dharavi Redevelopment initiative in 2019, the BMC had initiated a demolition drive on illegal tenements. In December 2023, the BMC requested action from the Collector's office regarding the rising encroachments. Although notices were issued, only a few structures were demolished. Under the current redevelopment tender provisions, ground-floor residents who settled in Dharavi before January 1, 2000 will be eligible for 350 sq ft homes within Dharavi at no cost. Residents who settled between January 1, 2000 and January 1, 2011, will receive 300 sq ft homes outside Dharavi for a cost of Rs 2.5 lakh, under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). Upper-floor structures built before November 15, 2022 and ground-floor tenements built between January 1, 2011 and November 15, 2022 will be offered rented accommodation outside Dharavi, with the option of a hire-purchase scheme. These residents will be entitled to 300 sq ft homes. Additionally, new townships for ineligible Dharavi residents will be developed within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The ongoing government survey has now identified over 50,000 tenements, eligible for rehabilitation.
