61 Ganesh Nagar-Meghwadi Hutment Owners Agree to Vacate in Dharavi Sector 6
In Dharavi’s Sector 6, 61 of the 85 hutment owners at Ganesh Nagar-Meghwadi have signed rental agreements and agreed to voluntarily vacate their structures to facilitate the rehabilitation process. The remaining 24 families have been given until September 10 to complete the necessary formalities and vacate the area.
The 85 unit-holders had previously been served demolition notices on August 21 for allegedly not cooperating with authorities and obstructing public infrastructure works. Under that order, the residents were required to vacate their premises within 10 days.
Prior to this, 16 hutments in the area had been identified for demolition. Four of those structures were demolished with police assistance approximately two weeks ago, following repeated efforts by officials to secure the residents' cooperation that had yielded no results.
A senior Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) official stated that the voluntary sign-ups represent a significant step toward clearing required land for rehabilitation construction. Across Sector 6, a total of 2,702 families have signed rental agreements so far, and 1,729 families have vacated their homes, according to official DRP figures.
Senior DRP officials recently held discussions with residents and representatives from Sector 6 to address concerns regarding the relocation process. Officials noted that early cooperation from residents will allow rehabilitation construction to commence sooner and help families move into new homes faster.
Under the rehabilitation rental arrangement, families that sign the agreement and relocate receive one year’s rent paid upfront through a demand draft, along with a one-time shifting cost and one month’s brokerage. The rent is increased by 5 per cent subsequently, and from the 13th month onward, the payment is credited directly to the bank account of the head of the household until the family receives possession of their permanent rehabilitation home.
Officials added that they will continue to conduct counselling sessions and discussions with local residents to address remaining concerns and secure voluntary cooperation across the sector.
