Shiv Sena (UBT) chief and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray dropped a bombshell on the Dharavi redevelopment project involving the ports-to-power conglomerate Adani Group. In a recent interview with India Today, Thackeray said that if the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comes to power, the tender given to Adani for the Dharavi redevelopment project will be cancelled.
"We will cancel the tender given to Adani for Dharavi," Thackeray said in the interview. Thackeray also mentioned that Adani was not given the tender for Dharavi while he was the Chief Minister.
He said that the tender given to Adani was, in fact, cancelled during his tenure as the Maharashtra CM because there was a lack of transparency over Adani's investors, especially a concern based out of Dubai. He claimed that his allies were a bit iffy on the lack of transparency over Adani's investors.
In 2022, the Maharashtra government awarded the redevelopment contract to Adani Realty under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The estimated cost outlay of the project is Rs 20,000 crore.
"There was no clarity over who the investor was. Our allies said that this is not acceptable. Because of this, the tender was cancelled but they (Adani Group) went to the court." Uddhav also mentioned that the tender for the project was taken again in July 2022, almost a month after his government collapsed in June that year.
Thackeray further questioned the need of giving the tender to Adani. "Dharavi spans nearly 500 acres and 4-4.5 lakh people must be residing there. Of this, you want to oust more than half of the residents by making them 'apaatra'."
He also claimed that the conglomerate acquired around 1,000 acres of land in Mumbai, including the Salt Pan land, Dahisar and Mulund tolls, Kurla Mother Dairy, among others. Thackeray mentioned that the Salt Pan land has never been allocated to anyone.
Despite this, he mentioned that the redevelopment of Dharavi should happen. "If we come to power, we will cancel the tender given to Adani and give the people of Dharavi a place to live where they are currently based." He added that every house in Dharavi has a business.
Not only this, he also countering the oft-repeated 'anti-development' accusation against MVA.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief said: "How's it anti-development? We made the Coastal Road and Sewree-Nawhashewa Road (Mumbai Trans Harbour Link)." He also said that development works, including metro projects, were ongoing in Maharashtra even during the coronavirus pandemic.
This, however, is not the first time Thackeray has criticised Adani for his involvement in the Dharavi redevelopment plan. The Dharavi redevelopment project focuses on providing improved housing for the slum's residents by replacing the existing dwellingns with high-rise buildings. Units will be allocated to eligible residents.
It also aims to improve basic infrastructure such as roads, sewage, water supply and sanitation. Schools, hospitals, and parks will also be constructed. Dedicated areas will be allocated to support local businesses.