Ahead of Assembly polls, Shinde government clears salt pan land for Adani Group project
The decision pertains to utilisation of 255 acres of salt pan land in Mumbai for the development of housing for slum rehabilitation project-affected residents
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde with State Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar during an event in Mumbai on September 30, 2024.
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Maharashtra Cabinet on Monday (September 30, 2024) approved the utilisation of 255 acres of salt pan land in Mumbai for the development of housing for slum rehabilitation project-affected residents. The project will be implemented by Adani Group’s Dharavi Slum Redevelopment Project, one of the largest slum redevelopment projects in Asia.
The decision comes after the State government requested the Centre to transfer the land on lease, primarily benefiting those affected by slum rehabilitation, as well as beneficiaries of affordable housing schemes.
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The salt pan land, spanning 255.9 acres, is located across various areas: 120.5 acres in Kanjur, 76.9 acres in Kanjur and Bhandup, and 58.5 acres in Mulund. A special purpose vehicle (SPV) will bear the cost of rehabilitating residents currently living on this land.
Earlier this month, the Centre had approved the transfer of the salt pan land to Dharavi Redevelopment Project Pvt Ltd (DRPPL), a joint venture between Adani Realty Group and the Maharashtra government, to facilitate the construction of rental housing for slum dwellers.
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With Assembly elections on the horizon, the Cabinet approved 38 proposals, including key measures aimed at enhancing road and metro rail infrastructure in Mumbai and its surrounding areas. Last week (September 23) it approved 24 measures, including the formation of separate corporations for economically weaker sections of Brahmin and Rajput communities, and the renaming of the Pune International Airport.
The Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also approved the implementation of an affordable rental housing scheme for ineligible slum dwellers in Dharavi. As part of the decision, the Dharavi Redevelopment Project has been directed to conduct a slum survey to identify the number of eligible and ineligible slum residents. Based on the survey, the necessary land allocation for these residents will also be determined.
The State government said no financial burden should fall on it under the credit-linked subsidy scheme, with the SPV responsible for any liabilities. This policy is specific to the Dharavi Redevelopment Project and will not apply to any other projects.
It also accepted the second and third reports of the Justice Shinde committee, which was formed to finalise protocols for issuing Kunbi-Maratha and Maratha-Kunbi certificates based on historical records. At the last Council of Ministers’ meeting on September 23, the Cabinet approved the inclusion of three Kunbi sub-castes in the OBC category.
The acceptance of the Shinde panel report, which was submitted in December last, is seen as a significant move to placate the Maratha community protesting for inclusion in the OBC category, amid a backlash by backward communities.
The Cabinet also accepted a proposal from the Ports Development Department to appoint JSW Infrastructure as the developer for the Murbe multipurpose port in Palghar district. The project, estimated at ₹4,259 crore, will focus on bulk dry cargo and captive cargo and will be an all-weather operational facility. A detailed project report (DPR) will be prepared for the port’s development.
The Cabinet also gave the green light to the construction of a tunnel road linking Orange Gate in Mazgaon to Marine Drive in Mumbai. The project will receive a ₹1,354 crore interest-free loan from the State government to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), with the government also covering land acquisition costs, estimated at ₹433 crore.
A revised proposal of ₹12,200 crore for the Thane Ring Metro project was also approved by the Cabinet. The 29-km loop will feature 20 stations, with two of them underground.
In another decision, the Cabinet approved the allocation of 37 acres of land to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to establish national centres of excellence. These facilities will be set up in Malad, Akurli (Navi Mumbai), and Vadhavan (Palghar) on leased land at an annual rent of ₹1 for the next 30 years.
Published – September 30, 2024 09:51 pm IST
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