BMC to Redevelop Malvani Slums on DRP Model

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to redevelop Malvani, a vast area of 1,200 acres recognised for its extensive slum settlements. The region’s development will follow the Dharavi Redevelopment Plan (DRP). The first meeting was held at BMC Commissioner I S Chahal’s office last month. The meeting was chaired by Chahal and attended by officers including the Revenue Department, Slum Rehabilitation Authority, Salt Commissioner’s Office and Defence Department.

“We have decided to collect all the basic details and replicate the Dharavi model in Malvani. We will soon meet with Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the Housing Minister,” said a senior BMC officer. The BMC officials expressed that Chahal’s experience with the Dharavi redevelopment project will be valuable for the Malvani redevelopment plan. The Malvani area spans 1,200 acres, with 890 acres owned by the Revenue Department. The remaining 290 acres belong to the Centre, which includes the Defence Ministry.

A part of the land is under the ownership of the Salt Commissioner, and another section is covered in mangroves. Additionally, a portion of the land is classified as a no-development zone, and a small marshy tract cannot be developed following the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules. Some BMC officers said that the provisions of Development Regulation 33(9a) and 33(10 a) of the Development Control Regulations (DCR), which were made applicable to the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, should be made applicable to the Malvani project as well. Officials expressed that barely any development had been done by SRA in Malvani.

“This area is considered very downmarket, but one could have sea-facing apartments here in the saleable component and utilise the profit to construct buildings for slum dwellers. BMC also plans to have a project, that of a colony with wide roads, schools, hospitals and workplaces,” said an officer.