In a significant move to speed up one of India’s largest urban renewal projects, the Maharashtra government has constituted a Special Cell comprising senior bureaucrats from multiple departments to fast-track approvals required for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP).
The decision was announced through a Government Resolution (GR) issued by the Housing Department on July 1, 2026 (Government Resolution No. धापुप्र-2026/प्र.क्र.71/झोपसु). The Special Cell has been created following directions issued by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis during a review meeting held on June 8, 2026, where he instructed officials to establish a dedicated mechanism for expediting pending permissions related to the project.
The latest move is expected to remove administrative bottlenecks and ensure that the ambitious redevelopment is completed within the stipulated timeline.
Why has the Special Cell been created?
The Dharavi Redevelopment Project requires approvals from multiple government departments and agencies, including land administration, urban planning, finance, environment, infrastructure and local civic authorities.
Obtaining these clearances through conventional processes often leads to delays. To address this, the Maharashtra government has now established a dedicated inter-departmental committee that will coordinate and expedite all pending approvals.
According to the Government Resolution, the objective is to:
- Ensure faster processing of statutory approvals.
- Resolve inter-departmental issues through coordinated decision-making.
- Monitor pending permissions across government departments.
- Enable timely implementation of the redevelopment project.
- Help complete the project within the prescribed timeline.
High-Level Committee to Oversee Approvals
The newly formed Special Cell will be chaired by the Additional Chief Secretary, Housing Department and will include senior officials from key government departments and agencies.
The members include:
- Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue Department
- Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department
- Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary, Finance Department
- Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary, Industries Department
- Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary, Environment Department
- Vice Chairman & CEO, MHADA
- Divisional Commissioner, Konkan Division
- Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA
- Municipal Commissioner, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)
- Managing Director, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (MMRCL)
- Collector, Mumbai City
- Collector, Mumbai Suburban
- CEO and Special Officer, Dharavi Redevelopment Project (Member Secretary)
Whenever project-specific approvals are pending, the concerned department will participate in Special Cell meetings to take immediate decisions. Officials from other departments may also be invited whenever required.
What is the Dharavi Redevelopment Project?
The Dharavi Redevelopment Project is one of the world’s largest and most complex urban renewal programmes.
Spread over approximately 620 acres (around 251 hectares) in the heart of Mumbai, Dharavi has evolved over decades into a densely populated settlement comprising residential clusters, commercial establishments and thousands of small-scale manufacturing units.
The area is strategically located between Mumbai’s major business districts and transport corridors, making it one of the city’s most valuable land parcels.
The project aims to transform Dharavi into a modern mixed-use township while rehabilitating eligible residents and formalising infrastructure.
Who won the bid to redevelop Dharavi?
The redevelopment project is being implemented by Navbharat Mega Developers Pvt. Ltd. (NMDPL), a special purpose vehicle formed after the successful bid by the Adani Group in November 2022.
The Government of Maharashtra selected the Adani Group as the successful bidder after a competitive bidding process. The Special Purpose Vehicle is jointly owned by the Government of Maharashtra and the Adani Group, with the private developer holding the majority stake while the state retains equity participation.
The project is being executed under the supervision of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project/Slum Rehabilitation Authority (DRP/SRA).
How many people will be affected?
The redevelopment is expected to directly impact around 1 million (10 lakh) residents, making it one of the largest rehabilitation exercises undertaken anywhere in the world.
Apart from residents, the project also affects:
- More than 100,000 commercial establishments and small businesses, according to official project estimates and surveys.
- Thousands of micro, small and home-based manufacturing units.
- Informal industries involved in leather goods, garments, pottery, recycling, food processing and engineering.
The rehabilitation exercise includes residential units, commercial rehabilitation, rental housing, infrastructure upgrades and integrated urban planning.
What will the redevelopment include?
The redevelopment aims to create a modern urban ecosystem by providing:
- Free rehabilitation housing for eligible residents.
- Modern road network.
- Water supply and sewerage systems.
- Stormwater drainage.
- Open spaces.
- Schools and healthcare facilities.
- Commercial rehabilitation for eligible businesses.
- Public transport integration.
- Sustainable urban infrastructure.
The project also seeks to preserve Dharavi’s unique economic ecosystem by creating dedicated spaces for small businesses and traditional industries.
Why is the Special Cell important?
Infrastructure projects of this scale require approvals from numerous authorities before construction can proceed.
These include:
- Land-related permissions.
- Environmental clearances.
- Planning approvals.
- Infrastructure utility permissions.
- Financial approvals.
- Coordination with transport agencies.
- Municipal permissions.
The newly established Special Cell is intended to function as a single coordination platform where pending approvals can be reviewed and resolved collectively rather than department by department.
This is expected to significantly reduce administrative delays that often affect mega infrastructure and redevelopment projects.
Government’s Earlier Support
The Government Resolution also notes that:
- Dharavi Redevelopment was declared a “Vital Public Project” in 2007.
- Dharavi has been notified as a Special Planning Area, with the Slum Rehabilitation Authority designated as the Special Planning Authority.
- The state has already granted several policy relaxations through Government Resolutions issued in 2018 and 2022 to facilitate implementation.
The latest decision builds on these earlier measures by introducing an institutional mechanism dedicated solely to expediting approvals.
What Happens Next?
The CEO and Special Officer of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project will prepare and submit a list of all pending permissions before the Special Cell.
Meetings will then be convened based on the departments involved, enabling senior officials to resolve issues quickly and issue necessary approvals.
The move signals the Maharashtra government’s intent to accelerate the execution of the long-awaited redevelopment, which has witnessed multiple delays over the past two decades.
If implemented effectively, the Special Cell could become one of the key administrative mechanisms driving the transformation of Dharavi into a modern, planned urban district while rehabilitating nearly one million residents and protecting its vibrant commercial ecosystem.
Also Read: Dharavi Redevelopment Tender Cancelled
