Shiv Sena to stage march against Adani on Dec 16 over Dharavi redevelopment project

The project would allegedly affect the lives of thousands of people residing in Dharavi.

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said he would lead a march to the Mumbai office of Adani Group on December 16 claiming that the government was apparently favouring the business conglomerate with the Dharavi redevelopment project.

“Several suspicious decisions have been taken to favour Adani Group for the Dharavi redevelopment project. It also includes a TDR (Transferable Development Rights) sale clause which will benefit the Adani group significantly.

"To protect the interest of the Dharavi residents, Shiv Sena will march to the Adani Group office on December 16. I will lead the rally on Saturday," Thackeray told reporters.

The project, which reportedly has a revenue potential of Rs 20,000 crore, involves rebuilding the Dharavi slum sprawl in central Mumbai, located near the BKC (Bandra Kurla Complex) business district.

The Maharashtra government in July formally awarded the 259-hectare Dharavi redevelopment project to a firm under the Adani Group.

Thackeray has raised concerns that the state government was trying to favour the Adani Group at the cost of residents of Dharavi, a sprawling slum colony.

Thackeray further added, "Enough information is available about the Dharavi redevelopment project which raises suspicion about whether the government is trying to benefit Adani at the cost of Dharavi residents."

Notably, alleging “discrepancies” in the issuance of the work order, Shiv Sena ally Congress had last month organized a protest rally in Mumbai demanding the cancellation of the Dharavi redevelopment project contract.

Adani Properties bagged the redevelopment project in November last year through a competitive bidding which also witnessed participation from realty major DLF and Naman Developers.