Dharavi redevelopment clause gives Rs 5k cr premium to Adani-led SPV and not BMC: Aaditya

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Monday alleged a clause in the Dharavi redevelopment project will give premium worth Rs 5,000 crore to the Adani group-led special purpose vehicle rather than Mumbai’s civic body which owns 70 per cent of the land on which the slums are built.

Speaking to reporters, Thackeray claimed the tender issued for the redevelopment of Dharavi slums says that the premium generated from the land utilisation would be given back to the special purpose vehicle, in which the Adani Group is a majority stakeholder.

“It means Adani group will make money from the redevelopment and will also get major portion of the premium amount for redevelopment work. The BMC owns nearly 70 per cent of the land on which Dharavi slum currently stands. The BMC should have got the Rs 5,000 crore premium amount that is going to Adani’s SPV,” Thackeray said.

The former state environment minister said he had written to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation administrator Bhushan Gagrani to provide reasons for this largesse to the Adani group firm.

“The Eknath Shinde government has already waived the staircase and open space premium. Now, we noticed have this new waiver, which is even more shocking. The BMC and MHADA are institutions that undertake projects meant for people. If land utilisation premium is given to BMC and MHADA, it will improve their financial condition and citizens will get better services,” he claimed.

Necessary changes will be made in the tender once the Maha Vikas Aghadi comes to power, he promised. The MVA comprises Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).

Some MLAs from the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena had said Dharavi’s residents would not be shifted to areas like Mulund and Kurla but the state government is yet to take any decision on the issue, which means these legislators are “spreading lies to mislead voters”, he alleged.

“They need to understand Adani is the boss of the their political boss, so no such decision will be taken,” Thackeray said in a swipe at ruling alliance legislators.

The survey taken to determine eligible and non-eligible residents of Dharavi is faulty since there is a “special effort” to reduce the number of eligible residents.

“Nearly 1.5 lakh people will be displaced from Dharavi after being tagged non-eligible. This is injustice. As per the state government, those non-eligible will be given an option to buy the houses from the Adani-controlled SPV at construction cost. It means Adani would be earning from both sides,” Thackeray claimed.

“The company will have to construct less houses at Dharavi and can utilise the remaining area for construction of premium residential housing. And those tagged non-eligible will be forced to buy houses from Adani at construction cost,” he alleged.