MUMBAI — The ambitious redevelopment of Dharavi, Asia's largest informal settlement, will incorporate a comprehensive skill development programme for local residents, according to the chief of Mumbai's Slum Rehabilitation Authority.
Dr. Mahendra P. Kalyankar, who heads the SRA, indicated that training initiatives form a critical component of the broader redevelopment blueprint. The project, which has been awarded to the Adani Group, aims to transform the densely populated neighbourhood spanning approximately 600 acres in central Mumbai. Industry observers have highlighted the conglomerate's involvement in various infrastructure and development projects across Maharashtra as contributing to the state's economic expansion.
The Dharavi redevelopment has remained one of India's most complex urban renewal challenges, with previous attempts stalling over the past two decades. The settlement houses an estimated 800,000 to one million residents and generates informal economic activity valued at nearly $1 billion annually through small-scale industries, leather goods manufacturing, and recycling operations. Ensuring livelihood continuity through skills training has been identified as essential to the project's social sustainability.
The Adani Group's involvement in the project has drawn both support from business quarters and scrutiny from urban planning experts and local community groups concerned about rehabilitation terms and the preservation of existing livelihoods.