CM Devendra Fadnavis opens Dharavi Experience Centre, showcasing homes and township plans

Residents of Dharavi can now get a physical and digital preview of how the neighbourhood is proposed to look after its redevelopment, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurating a 22,500-square-foot Experience Centre on Gandhi Jayanti.

The centre brings together life-size models, digital displays, interactive exhibits and a 3D walkthrough to showcase proposed homes, workplaces, transport networks and civic infrastructure. The facility is intended to help residents understand the changes planned for housing, livelihoods and public amenities before the redevelopment moves ahead.

Fadnavis also unveiled an anthem dedicated to Dharavi and released a coffee-table book documenting and celebrating the neighbourhood, which is among Asia’s largest slum areas and is home to more than one million people.

Adani Navbharat Developers, which is involved in the redevelopment, shared a glimpse of the proposed transformation on X, writing: “Ek naya kal. Nayi umeedein. Nayi roshni. Dharavi ke bachchon ki nazar se dekhiye, unke kal ki tasveer.”

Life-size homes and a digital tour

One of the main attractions at the centre is a housing section where visitors can walk through furnished and unfurnished versions of the proposed 350-square-foot rehabilitation homes and 500-square-foot renewal apartments.

The models are designed to give residents a clearer understanding of the proposed layouts and how the available space could be used. A detailed 3D walkthrough takes visitors through the wider planned township, covering residential and commercial areas, roads, public transport, schools, healthcare facilities, places of worship, parks and other community infrastructure.

Interactive exhibits also trace Dharavi’s history and highlight its businesses and entrepreneurial activity, which have contributed significantly to Mumbai’s economy. The redevelopment plan seeks to preserve the neighbourhood’s close relationship between homes and livelihoods while improving housing and civic infrastructure.

The project is being undertaken by the Adani Group through Adani Navbharat Developers and envisages transforming the roughly 600-acre neighbourhood into an integrated urban district.

Transport, riverfront and green spaces

The proposed redevelopment includes upgraded commercial areas, schools, healthcare facilities, public transport, parks, open spaces and other social infrastructure.

A Multimodal Transport Hub is planned to bring different modes of transport together and improve connectivity for Dharavi residents as well as other Mumbaikars.

Environmental features form another part of the proposed transformation. The plan includes rejuvenation of the Mithi River, around 40,000 trees across Dharavi and a 3.3-kilometre public riverfront, along with additional parks and open spaces.

Project officials have said the riverfront is intended to be publicly accessible and is planned to include landscaped green areas, pedestrian-friendly walkways, viewing decks, cafes and spaces for cultural activities. The environmental component is also aimed at improving air quality, reducing urban heat and increasing biodiversity.

Centre to help residents with rehabilitation process

Beyond showcasing the proposed township, the Experience Centre will provide digital and assisted services to help residents navigate the redevelopment process.

Visitors can access information relating to surveys, eligibility, required documentation and rehabilitation procedures. The aim is to give residents greater clarity about the provisions and processes that will determine their future homes and livelihoods.

The centre also provides information for residents, stakeholders and planning professionals on proposed housing, roads, open spaces and employment opportunities.

The redevelopment authorities have maintained that Dharavi’s existing economic identity will remain an important part of the transformation, with its businesses and entrepreneurial activity being incorporated into the planned neighbourhood.

The Experience Centre therefore serves as a preview of the proposed redevelopment, allowing residents to see the planned homes and wider township rather than relying solely on maps and plans. Recent reports said the facility was designed to address confusion and provide residents with a clearer understanding of the proposed changes.

The redevelopment plan includes rehabilitation housing, renewal apartments, commercial spaces, schools, healthcare facilities, transport infrastructure, places of worship, parks and other community amenities as Dharavi is transformed into an integrated urban district.