A Human-Centric Transformation, explores the challenges faced by a community in Mumbai, India, during the late 1970s. The city was a melting pot of diverse beliefs, cultures, and languages, with a chaotic atmosphere that seemed to be provided by the soul of Dharavi. The community’s struggle for survival was both humbling and disturbing, inspiring the author to question whether their fate would ever change.
The opportunity to renew Dharavi came to him with both hands, as it had a personal connection with his first impression of Mumbai. The bid was 2.5 times the next highest, and the author seized the opportunity to create a new Dharavi of dignity, safety, and inclusiveness. The project is unique in three ways: it is one of the world’s largest urban resettlement and regeneration projects, with around a million people being rehabilitated and resettled.
Rehabilitation includes the resettlement of residential units, diverse establishments, and the entire ecosphere and business fabric of diverse trades thriving in Dharavi. The project aims for comprehensive and holistic redevelopment, catering to the housing and rehabilitation needs of both eligible and ineligible residents. The author acknowledges the colossal challenges ahead, but acknowledges the potential for a new chapter of pride and purpose in Dharavi.
