As the Maharashtra government pushes ahead with a massive redevelopment plan for Dharavi, one of Asia’s largest informal settlements, deep concern is growing among thousands of residents who may be forced to leave their homes. While the project promises sleek infrastructure and formal housing, many fear that relocation to some of Mumbai most hazardous areas could spell a public health crisis.
The Dharavi Redevelopment Project launched in 2024, aims to transform the 620-acre slum into a modern urban township, spearheaded by a joint venture between the Adani Group and the state’s Slum Rehabilitation Authority. But not everyone in Dharavi will benefit. Up to 100,000 residents without the required documents have been deemed “ineligible” for rehabilitation within Dharavi and face being relocated to areas far from the city center, including plots inside or near the Deonar dumping ground.
Deonar, in Mumbai’s eastern suburbs, is home to Asia’s oldest and largest landfill. Every day, hundreds of tonnes of fresh garbage are dumped onto its 13-storey-high mountain of waste, which has been accumulating since 1927. The site emits over 6,000 kilograms of methane per hour, a toxic gas linked to serious respiratory illnesses. Fires, foul smells, and contaminated water are a daily reality for those living nearby.
Among the ineligible residents is 71-year-old Mohan Lal Jain, a longtime Dharavi resident who fears losing not only his home, but also his health and livelihood. “People living near the Deonar dump are constantly sick. If we are moved there, it will be like a death sentence,” he says.
The situation is not without precedent. In 2008, thousands of slum dwellers evicted from footpaths were relocated to the Natwar Parekh Compound in Govandi, close to the Deonar dump. Residents there soon reported an explosion of health problems from fevers and stomach infections to widespread tuberculosis. The buildings are tightly packed, poorly ventilated, and lacking in basic sanitation. Today, Govandi has the lowest life expectancy in Mumbai under 40 years.
In addition to Deonar, other proposed relocation sites include land parcels in Kurla, Mulund, Malad, and Kanjurmarg all far from Dharavi’s commercial hubs, and many located on or near environmentally degraded land.
Making matters worse, a new waste-to-energy plant is under construction in Deonar, set to process 600 metric tonnes of garbage daily. Residents already exposed to emissions from a biomedical waste plant nearby fear this new facility will only worsen their already precarious health conditions.
Experts warn that waste incineration releases harmful pollutants like dioxins and furans, especially when plastics and organic matter are burned together. While proponents argue it’s a necessary solution for India waste management challenges, critics point out that such plants can become environmental hazards without proper regulation and monitoring.
For residents facing displacement, the Dharavi redevelopment is not just an infrastructure upgrade it’s a potential health disaster. Many are calling on the government to revise its eligibility criteria and allow more people to be rehabilitated within Dharavi itself. They argue that relocating vulnerable communities to toxic zones is a violation of their right to life, health, and dignity.
“We want development,” says Jain, “but not if it means trading our homes for hospitals.”