BMC committee stalls Mulund land lease for Dharavi project over environmental fears

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Improvements Committee has paused a proposal to lease 15 acres of the former Mulund dumping ground to Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited (NMDPL) for the Dharavi slum redevelopment project, citing environmental concerns.

The committee, in its meeting on Tuesday, decided to send the proposal back to the civic administration after members raised several technical objections. Committee chairperson and Shiv Sena corporator Sandhya Doshi told The Indian Express that the proposal required further scrutiny on environmental grounds.

As per the proposal, NMDPL intended to use the land to set up a casting yard and a ready-mix concrete (RMC) plant to support the redevelopment of Dharavi, one of Asia’s largest slums. The project aims to rehabilitate thousands of families and transform the area into a modern township.

NMDPL is a joint venture company in which Adani Properties Private Limited holds an 80 per cent stake, while the remaining 20 per cent is owned by the Maharashtra government’s Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA). The Mulund site, once a dumping ground, is now being considered for industrial use as part of the redevelopment process.

Environmental activists and local residents have previously raised concerns about pollution and health hazards from such facilities near residential areas. The committee’s decision reflects a need to balance urban development with environmental protection.

The civic administration is expected to address the objections and resubmit the proposal. The Dharavi redevelopment project remains one of the most ambitious urban renewal initiatives in India, but it continues to face delays over land allocation and environmental clearances.