Mumbai's Dharavi slums.
Credit: Reuters File Photo
Mumbai: As the survey phase of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) comes to an end, a significant number of residents, who had earlier missed or had not participated, are calling the project’s toll-free helpline for inclusion.
Out of 700 calls received in the past month, nearly 41 per cent of the enquiries were related to requests to complete door-to-door/household surveys, a crucial step in the redevelopment process to decide eligibility.
This response highlights the palpable anxiety among residents about missing out on the redevelopment scheme and foregoing its housing benefits, a DRP official said.
As only a few tenements and communities remain who have volunteered to exclude themselves from the eligibility survey like the Kumbharwada, Compound 13, a handful tenements on private lands in various slum pockets, it is a sign that residents are sensing time is slipping away. Despite initial resistance, Kumbharwada residents have started volunteering to get their tenements numbered in the past two days.
“We are heartened by the volume and quality of engagement we are receiving from the residents. The fact that nearly half of the calls are about the survey process shows that people are informed, interested, and eager to participate in the transformation. We remain committed to a transparent, people-first redevelopment effort that keeps communication open at every stage. This is housing for all project,” a DRP official said.