The Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRPPL) management said it will start the survey to collect data from the informal tenement residents of the slum in Mumbai on March 18. The data will be used by the state government to determine the residents’ eligibility criteria.
The survey will also create “Digital Dharavi”, a first-of-its-kind advanced library of the 625-acre informal settlement, which is among the world’s largest.
The survey will begin from Kamla Raman Nagar. A team will visit every residence with an indigenously-developed application to scan documents. A unique number will be given to each informal tenement. This will be followed by ‘Lidar Survey’, which will involve mapping of each lane.
A toll-free number — 1800-268-8888 — has been activated to respond to the queries and concerns of local residents of Dharavi, a release from DRPPL said.
Under the project, a joint venture between the government of Maharashtra and the Adani Group, homes will be provided to every informal tenement holder. In a first, qualified ineligible tenement holders will get homes too. Each flat will come with an independent kitchen and a toilet.
Besides, eligible industrial and commercial units will be exempt from State Goods and Services Tax (SGST) for five years. This is expected to help them formalise their businesses.
Dharavi is believed to be Asia’s largest slum, with around a million residents. It has several thousands of industrial and commercial units, including garment and leather manufacturers. Many are vendors for large national and international brands sold across the world, with turnover running into millions of dollars.
