CM outlines new Dharavi redevpt plan

Mumbai: The much-delayed Dharavi revamp project will now be developed as a cluster of 13 phases instead of five bigger sectors, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said on Monday. 

    Chavan has put the Rs 5,600-crore project on the fast-track, while setting a deadline of August for inviting bids for the phases. Chavan has planned to issue work orders by October-end. 
    The breaking up of project into phases will facilitate the bidding process while the outline and core norms will continue to govern the project as a township. 
    For the sake of this arrangement, a single developer will be allowed to bid for all phases or a cluster. "Monitored by a regulator, these smaller phases will be integrated, in terms of amenities and infrastructure. The regulators will ensure essential similarity remained in these phases," said an officer, adding that physical dimensions of old sectors will stay the same . 
    The government has also decided to appoint a bidding consultant, will ensure seamless integration of amenities and will be responsible for removing all hutments. "We are looking at a reputed firm for this work," said chief secretary J K Banthia. 
    Chavan has decided to prepare a formal sanction plan and will bring it in the public domain. The state has also decided to call fresh teners to select a project management consultant. 
    The Maharashtra government has, in the past, recieved flak for having little clarity on the project. 
    Ever since it was approved in 2004, it has run into hurdles. Tenders have been called off too. 
    Five years ago it had accepted a private consultant's advice for redeveloping Dharavi in five zones with each as a separate township since slum rehab schemes do not provide civic infrastructure like wider roads and hospitals. Sector 5 was to be developed by Mhada. 
    Officials said the arrangement will stay in place and it will not be included in the phases.

The government intends to abandon the sector-approach for the cluster way of 13 phases