Mumbai: What redevelopment means for Dharavi’s smaller industries

The ambitious and muchdiscussed Dharavi redevelopment project has gained momentum aiming to transform and revamp homes in Dharavi a locality often referred to as one of Asiarsquos largest slums due to its sprawling settlements However a critical question remains unanswered has the government along with the Dharavi Redevelopment Project Private Limited DRPPL considered how they will preserve and nurture the thriving microeconomy that operates within these householdsConcern looms large for informal business owners and operators in Dharavi who fear that redevelopment could spell the end of their generationsold businesses and livelihoods Dharavirsquos unique identity lies in its parallel microeconomy encompassing the leather market Kumbharwada pottersrsquo village the garment industry and plastic waste recycling among others This intricate economic ecosystem makes Dharavirsquos redevelopment far more complex compared to other slum redevelopment projectslsquoI will die in KumbharwadarsquoldquoThis is where I was born and raised Itrsquos where my father taught me to mould and shape clay into pots and where I in turn taught my children the craft I will die here in Kumbharwada within the Dharavi slums rather than move to a swanky flat elsewhererdquo said 57yearold Ranchhodbhai Tank a community leader in KumbharwadaRanchhodbhai Tank a community leader in KumbharwadaShaded from the sharp afternoon sun the rows of houses covered in thick black soot define Kumbharwada Mumbais lsquopottery villagersquo located on the outskirts of Dharavi The area hums with activity staying true to its identity as a hub of artisans For generations Kumbharwada has been synonymous with home hearth and craftmdasha testament to a strong cultural heritage and an unyielding sense of communityHowever recent talks of redevelopment and relocation have sparked mixed emotions among its residents oscillating between rebellion and fear Like Tank many in Kumbharwada insist on being rehabilitated on the very land where their homes and workshops currently stand ldquoWho doesnrsquot want to live in a clean and good place We dream of the same but not at the cost of losing our livelihoodrdquo said 54yearold Dhansukhbhai KamaliyaldquoLife in Kumbharwada is far from peaceful or easy We face hardships every single day For instance we sell each diya we mould for just R130 while shops sell them for Rs 250 to R3 Despite bearing the costs of maintenance and raw materials our profits are minimal while itrsquos the shops that benefit But Kumbharwada is more than just a place it is the lifeblood of our community like the blood that flows through our veins We donrsquot want to move to Malad or Mulund Our only wish is to stay here where we belongrdquo explained KamaliyaA smallscale garment factory in Dharavi PicsKirti Surve ParadeSharing his fear of being relocated to distant places Kamaliya adds ldquoFor the past 43 years I have been deeply involved in the pottery businessmdashnot just overseeing it but as one of the 125 artisans who sit at the wheel and mould vessels with my own hands There are around 125 of us potters working directly at the wheel but there are hundreds more involved in support tasks like colouring designing and supply Yet no one has ever conducted a proper survey to understand the full scope of our work We are not interested in relocating to Malad Ghatkopar or anywhere else Our only demand is to keep both our homes and businesses hereAdvocate Samya Korde social activist and CEO of the Dharavi FoundationBusiness has been steady after some hiccups during the pandemic but the redevelopment authorities only communicate through middlemen They donrsquot speak directly with us potters or business owners Wersquore still in the dark about their plans Where will we live Where will we make our clay pots and vessels And where will we fire them These are questions no one has answeredrdquo added KamaliyaRefuse to surrenderWhile locals say there has been no official discussion with the Adani Group and DRPPL regarding the project and their rehabilitation the Kumbhars remain steadfast in their refusal to negotiate or surrender what they regard as their lsquoancestral landrsquo unless there is clarity on their rehabilitation and a commitment to staying within KumbharwadaRaju Khade leather manufacturerTank added ldquoThey say residents whose homes were built before January 1 2000 and those living on the ground floor are eligible for free homes within Dharavi itself But wersquove been living here and running our pottery business for nearly a century Our ancestors were the first to settle here and I can proudly say they built Dharavi they built Kumbharwada If only those on the ground floor are eligible what happens to our workshops on the first floor in many houses here Many of us run our workshops on the ground floor and live on the first floor or vice versa There has been no clarity on these issues We have a set of questions that need answers and without those answers we are not interested in what they are offering We have no objection to the redevelopment project itself but if they plan to squeeze us into one corner and turn more than half of Kumbharwada into saleable real estate that is unacceptable Our community has always lived and worked together and we demand to be rehabilitated here in Kumbharwada along with our businesses This is prime land and everyone has their eyes on itrdquoKala QilaMoving away from Kumbharwada towards the Kala Qilla area is where Raju Khade runs Rank Leather manufacturing leather and nonleather goods including bags wallets and belts The entire stretch is dotted with shops that manufacture and sell leather articles like shoes bags wallets belts and jackets Khade says the situation is dire despite multiple surveys none of the business owners have any clarity about their futureClay diyas at Kumbharwada in DharavildquoWhat sort of redevelopment project is this where everyone is in constant fear of losing their homes or livelihoods There is no clarity on what the authorities are planning Shouldnrsquot there be a public meeting to discuss eligibility and provide some idea about rehabilitation plans At least two or three surveys have been conducted and I have even submitted my documents But we are still in the dark about what will happen to usmdashwhether we will be relocated or rehabilitated within Dharavi itself What will happen to our workshops and manufacturing units Will they also be relocated We outsource a lot of work and the artisans live nearby which avoids hassles We have no idea how any of this will be managedrdquo said KhadeAccording to Khade many residents have refused to allow surveyors into their localities even chasing them away ldquoIf the survey doesnrsquot happen the entire process will be delayed even further On top of that the areas they plan to relocate us to have local residents who donrsquot want us there just like we donrsquot want to leave Dharavi This has created a complete deadlock The DRPPL and state government agencies need to first gain the publicrsquos trust and provide clarity before moving forward with the projectrdquo he saidRajiv Gandhi NagarBarely 15 km from Kala Qilla lies Rajiv Gandhi Nagar in Dharavi where Khurshid Shaikh runs his shop and manufacturing unit for leather jackets under the name AlHasan Shaikh along with many others in the area has been opposing the redevelopment survey since the project was handed over to DRPPL ldquoWe are not against the redevelopment of Dharavi but are definitely against this kind of redevelopment planning Initially we stopped the surveyors but we were later threatened with police action We are ordinary people struggling every day to feed our families so we had no choice but to let them complete the survey and numbering People here are scared thinking the Adani Group is close to the government and we feel powerless against themrdquo said ShaikhTalking about the redevelopment project he added ldquoMy family has been living and working in Dharavi for three generations Wersquove already seen two surveys and plansmdashfirst in 2007 by the NGO Mashal and again in 2016 After the 2016 survey they proposed dividing Dharavi into nine sectors with Rajiv Gandhi Nagar falling under Sector Five That plan was eventually cancelled and now DRPPL has started yet another survey which is ongoing Despite all this there is still no clarity about what will happen to us or our businesses How can they expect us to accept their terms without telling us what those terms are We donrsquot even know if we will be relocated Our demand is simple both our commercial units and homes must remain in Dharavirdquo Shaikh saidAnother businessman Mazhar Khan a fourthgeneration garment entrepreneur in Dharavi shared his concerns ldquoSurveyors recently came and numbered our premises When we asked them about the redevelopment process or whom we could speak to for more information they simply said We canrsquot discuss that Let us finish the survey and you can speak to the officials when you submit your documentsrsquo At the very least they should assure us that we will be allotted places within Dharavi itself That would give us some relief Instead theyrsquove left thousands of people in fear and uncertainty by not clarifying anything We live in constant anxietymdashfearing we will lose both our homes and livelihoods or be relocated to faroff places where our businesses wonrsquot surviverdquo said Khan who runs a garment factory at Dharavi T Junction called M K Bottoms specialising in womenrsquos pants and trousersHaving grown up in Dharavi Advocate Samya Korde a social activist and CEO of the Dharavi Foundation has witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by informal business owners and the daily struggles of life in Dharavi Sharing her perspective on the ongoing tugofwar Korde said ldquoDharavi is far more than just a slum it functions as a thriving business district where nearly every household contributes to its economy Any redevelopment plan that overlooks the livelihoods of its residents and the preservation of their businesses is destined to failrdquoShe added ldquoThe core issue is the lack of acknowledgement for these businesses Most have operated for decades out of informal spaces in Dharavirsquos settlements often without official licences Under the proposed lsquoorganisedrsquo Dharavi many of these businesses will be left without a place to operate The land in Dharavi was notified for redevelopment under the 2004 plan and our key demand is that residents be relocated within Dharavi itself Despite the government calling this a critical project arbitrary eligibility cutoff dates have been introduced by state authorities Our demand is simple a house should be replaced with a house a shop with a shop and commercial spaces for workshops that have served the community for generations must be preserved While we are in favour of redevelopment and want it expedited the current process lacks fairness and transparency The last credible survey was conducted in 2007 by Mashal and while a new survey is ongoing it is riddled with flaws For instance multistorey homes are being counted as separate units for each floor which is illogical Such flawed data cannot serve as a foundation for fair rehabilitation Even the projectrsquos bhoomi poojan and inauguration were conducted quietly with only a press release issued later This secrecy has deeply eroded trust among Dharavirsquos residents leaving them sceptical of the authoritiesrsquo true intentionsrdquoKorde emphasised the need for clear communication with stakeholders which has been glaringly absent ldquoThe tender process itself reeks of bias Eighty per cent of the project is controlled by DRPPL and the Adani Group while only 20 per cent remains with the government This unequal arrangement reinforces the belief that the redevelopment prioritises the developerrsquos profits over the welfare of Dharavirsquos people We also demand that this onesided tender awarded to Adani Realty be scrapped as it heavily benefits the private developer while sidelining the resettlement of Dharavirsquos residents To make matters worse no comprehensive master plan has been shared with the public There is no information about where schools colleges religious spaces gardens or open areas will be located Meanwhile DRPPL engages in publicrelations exercises like cricket matches job fairs and Diwali diya orders from Kumbharwada potters While these activities may foster participation they cannot compensate for the potential loss of homes and livelihoods Dharavirsquos residents are united in their demand for transparent and equitable redevelopment The people who built and sustain this vibrant community who are the identity of Dharavi must remain at the heart of the process not be pushed aside for corporate gainrdquo Korde told middayDRPPL SpeakIn response to allegations from Dharavi residents and business owners about the lack of clarity regarding the redevelopment project and their status as projectaffected persons PAPs a DRPPL spokesperson stated via email to midday ldquoOver 30000 tenements have already been surveyed and more than 70000 have been numbered We are in regular touch with all stakeholders and are holding open discussions to ensure the redevelopment progresses smoothly and inclusively in line with the provisions of the tender documentrdquo