There is a huge hue and cry regarding SLUMDOG Millionaire is selling India's Poverty to the world. I am still wondering why Dharavi is still being maintained as a slum ? I remember being associated with a slum re-development project at Jogeswari. The size of the landscape would be one fourth of Dharavi.
This project at Jogeshwari has successfully proved that Slums can be redeveloped into a beautiful colony. The area under consideration was approximately 200 acres approximately. MAHDA took up the project by selecting the contractor B.G. Shirke constructions. A transit camp was devised for the dislocated residents within the area for 2 years.
Each household was offered approximately 350 square foot area, with 1 room kitchen house, with all facilities, a big family who had forgone bigger area were alloted 1 BHK. In all 3600 apartments were developed with well laid out sewage, roads, electricity, and all other facilities. The government sold the excess flats in various categories more of HIG category.
It was a perfect example of a win win situation for all the residents 6000 families and the balance 6000 flats were sold at market price. It was a fabulous scheme which succeeded and proved that Slums can be totally eliminated. All the unauthorised residents in the slums became an official citizens of the country. Today the market value of each of the flat will be a minimu of 8 lakhs. Just imagine the prosperity. Can we consider them Slumdogs any more.
Imagine if Dharavi if it is converted it into a livable colony, we may have landscaped garden and beautiful paradise with more than 800 acres of land under the juridiction of Dharavi. Some say the entire area would not be more than 600 acres, but if one takes into consideration roads and huge open sewage and surroundings it would be close to 1000 acres. The controversy with regard to what is offered may be debatable. Earlier offer was 250 sq feet, but it can be enhanced to 350 square feet along with some monetary compensation. It is high time that Dharavi needs a make over. Probably the film would serve as a wake call to convert Dharavi into a paradise. If MHADA can do it in Jogeswari what is the hitch ? Are the politicians deliberately interested keeping the squalor or vote bank intact. Or is there ulterior motive, many of the scavenging and recycling units are surving in the slums. The same can be relocated or still revived under the apartments in the parking space. I feel the make over of Dharavi is overdue, may Slumdog millionaire can be a trigger provided. Let us take positive vibes from the movie and root for Dharavi to be converted from slums to glamour quotient, or an address to be adored.
ALL the SLUMDOGS in Dharavi will be truely MILLIONAIRES if the project takes off in the right earnest. Each of their tenament will be worth more than cool 10 lakhs ( does it not make a million )
Epilouge : Just imagine after being involved in such a huge project, the company bosses wanted me out of their company. Lol. The project manager GM asked me should I intervene I said no way, let me fight my own battle.
