Ahead of Assembly Polls, Maharashtra Approves 256 Acres of Salt Pan Land For Adani Group Project (image-flickr/Rajesh_India)
The Maharashtra government on Monday approved the acquisition of 256 acres of ecologically fragile saltpan lands from the Centre on lease to house people who were ineligible to get homes under the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) led by Adani Group.
The state government had written to the Centre requesting it to lease 283 acres of salt pan lands for the project. The salt pans are spread over Mulund (58.5 acres), Bhandup (76.9 acres), and Kanjurmarg (120.5 acres).
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What Is The Dharavi Redevelopment Project Private Limited (DRPPL)?
A special purpose vehicle (SPV) formed by the Maharashtra government and the Adani Group, the DRPPL aims to acquire the saltpan land to develop rental and affordable housing for residents who were ineligible to get redeveloped homes in Dharavi.
The move has been persistently opposed by residents of Dharavi, Mumbaikars, and environmental activists who called it an “ecologically disastrous decision.”
Opposition parties, including Congress and the NCP, have equally opposed the move.
“256 acres of salt pan land handed over under the guise of rehousing Dharavi residents? This is not just ecological disaster – it’s corruption at its peak!” tweeted the Mumbai Congress unit on X. It further accused the state government of “bending over backward to serve Adani’s interests” and said, “This isn’t redevelopment- it’s loot!”
Mumbai North Central MP, Prof Varsha Gaikwad, accused the state government of “working overtime” as industrialist and billionaire Gautam Adani’s “agent.”
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“Adani wants to swallow all of Mumbai, and the Modani Sarkar is ready to go to any extent to make it happen. It’s sole agenda is to snatch the rights of Mumbaikars, diminish Mumbai’s importance, and grab prime lands that belong to Mumbaikar,” the Congress leader said on X.
Highlighting the importance of the salt pans in maintaining an ecological balance and preventing flood situations, the Lok Sabha MP added, “Any blanket permission to build upon these lands is not just reckless—it’s criminal! This isn’t development—it’s a blatant, greed-fueled land grab which could spell disaster for the city. This is not development; it is looting of Mumbaikars. Mumbai’s future is not for sale. We will fight and win against this Modi-Adani loot!”
NCP (SP) spokesperson Mahesh Tapase emphasised that the people of Dharavi should be rehabilitated in Dharavi itself. “We will also not allow this to happen. We want the people of Dharavi to be rehabilitated in Dharavi itself. The government should also clarify how much land they are willing to give for the project,” as quoted by the Hindustan Times.
What Are Salt Pan Lands, And Why Are They Important?
Salt pan lands are parcels of low-lying lands where seawater flows in at certain times, leaving salt and other minerals behind. These lands, along with the endangered mangroves in Mumbai, are essential in protecting the city from flooding.
The salt pan lands fall under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)-1B category where no economic activity is allowed apart from natural gas exploration and salt extraction, according to the CRZ notification of 2011.
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Environmentalist Stalin D, director of NGO Vanashakti, said that the construction over salt pan lands will result in areas like Vikhroli, Kanjurmarg, and Bhandup going underwater during heavy rain.
Additionally, they also house a variety of species of birds and insects, which will be endangered if any form of construction takes place over these ecologically fragile lands.
