MUMBAI: A massive row has broken out over the issue of “ownership” of the 47.5 acres of railway land to be used for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project. The Railway Land Development Authority (RLDA) that has signed a lease deed with the Dharavi Redevelopment Project/Slum Redevelopment Authority (DRP/SRA) has refused to allow the land to be sub-leased. The land is vital to kickstart the project as the proposal is to carry out the first tranche of redevelopment on this land.
The Dharavi Revedevelopment Project Private Limited (DRPPL) has pointed out that DRP/SRA are state government bodies and the right to sub-lease the railway land in parts to several third parties or full to single third party be permitted under RLDA regulations. While the RLDA has said the matter is under legal consideration, DRPPL has shot back saying they have been receiving the same response for the last seven months. “DRP/SRA will not be able to use the land for residential purposes. Further value for commercial purposes will be very low. Only purpose it can be possibly used for are social amenities, such as crematorium and industrial sheds,” DRPPL has said in its letter to the RLDA.
Congress MLA from Dharavi Varsha Gaikwad said under redevelopment, ownership of land is transferred to the society. “If this cannot be done, then let government put commercial or the sale component on this land. Dharavi residents cannot be short-changed,” she said.
DRPPL, in its letter last month, said that the delay in handing over the land will substantially delay timeline for completion of rehabilitation within seven years which will be in breach of the MoU signed. The conflict is over the Minutes of Meeting (MoM) of February 24, 2019. While RLDA has contended that redevelopment of railway staff quarters and the shifting of the Mahim scrapyard must be done first before starting work on the Dharavi redevelopment buildings, the DRPPL has said both works can be done simultaneously.
Referring to the MoM, DRPPL, while asking RLDA to consider simultaneous redevelopment, has said, “By addition of railway land, there will be reduction in both time and cost. Your non-acceptance of this point is against the principles on which the MoU and Lease deed have been signed and was decided to handover open land immediately to DRP/SRA/. Till date, you have not transferred the open land and operational land. DRP/SRA in the lease had accommodated RLDA despite delay in handover of open and operational land.”
The RLDA, on the other hand, has pointed out that as per MoM, “Such redevelopment of existing quarters and other service building shall be completed before initiation of dismantling of existing structures on railway land.” It has further said the shifting of the scrap yard is to be done by the DRP/SRA. “As soon as the set up at the new location is completed shifting of Mahim scrapyard will be initiated by the Railways,” RLDA has said in its response.
