Aaditya Thackeray Vs Fadnavis: Battle Heats Up Over Dharavi Redevelopment And Adani Involvement

The battle for Dharavi, one of Mumbai's most prized redevelopment projects, has ignited a fierce political and industrial clash. At the heart of the controversy stands a multi-billion-dollar plan to transform Asia's largest slum, pitting Aaditya Thackeray's Yuva Sena against Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, with the Adani Group caught in the crossfire. Aaditya Thackeray, President of Yuva Sena, raised concerns over the ongoing Dharavi redevelopment project, criticizing the current Maharashtra government's handling of it. Thackeray expressed frustration that several key decisions made during his party's time in power have been reversed. He emphasized that his issue is not with industrialist Gautam Adani, but with the industrial approach being taken, accusing the government of handing over large sections of Mumbai to private developers without ensuring enough public benefit. In response, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis defended the government's actions, stating that the contract for Dharavi's redevelopment was awarded to the Adani group because they were the highest bidder. Fadnavis further assured that the government would take back the contract if Adani failed to comply with state directives. Speaking at the India Today Mumbai conclave, Fadnavis refuted opposition allegations and claimed that it was his government that limited the Transferable Development Rights (TDR) given to the Adani group, which the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led government had allegedly left unchecked. This move, he claimed, would have allowed the developers to stockpile rights and sell them for large profits to other real estate entities in Mumbai.