Dharavi redevelopment project: Uddhav Thackeray raises questions over special concessions to Adani Group

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The Maharashtra government in July formally awarded the 259-hectare Dharavi redevelopment project to a firm under the Adani Group. Thackeray will start his march from Dharavi to the office of Adani Group on December 16, according to an Indian Express report. He accused the state government of favouring the business conglomerate, Adani Group, by awarding the project.

“Several suspicious decisions have been taken to favour Adani Group in the Dharavi redevelopment project. It also includes a TDR (Transferable Development Rights) sale clause which will benefit the Adani group significantly. To protect the interests of the residents of Dharavi, the Shiv Sena will march to the Adani Group office on December 16.

I will lead the march," the former Maharashtra chief minister said, as quoted by PTI. “People living in Dharavi need to be relocated in Dharavi itself because of their livelihood, which mostly depends on manufacturing products. The Dharavi residents must get a space of 400 to 500 sq feet each.

Around 80,000 to 90,000 slum dwellers are still shown as ineligible to be qualified for the space after redevelopment. I want to ask Adani what he is going to do about it. The government is helping the industrialist," said Thackeray, as quoted by Indian Express.

"Enough information is available about the redevelopment project which raises suspicion about whether the government is trying to give benefit to Adani at the cost of Dharavi residents," Thackeray said. Mumbai Congress president and former Maharashtra minister Varsha Gaikwad also alleged that many residents of Dharavi have been offered hefty amounts to relocate to distant areas like Palghar. She also claimed that some retired police officials, who were encounter