Starting yesterday, a flood of pamphlets and brochures—over two lakh of them—in Hindi, English and Urdu has started making its way into homes of Dharavi residents in Mumbai, ground zero of an overhaul project that could change the way the world looks at Asian slum colonies.

With the project worth Rs 9,300 crore or US $ 2.3 billion, the Maharashtra Government is keen to ensure that roadblocks—caused by the Shiv Sena, BJP, Congress coalition partner NCP and smaller parties participating in intense protest marches and public meetings against the project— are tackled as soon as possible. To that end, the Vilasrao Deshmukh Government’s Slum Rehabilitation Authority has also roped in the father-daughter duo of Congress MP Eknath Gaikwad and Dharavi MLA Varsha Gaikwad. The two will address a series of public meetings in the slum in the next two weeks.

“We are telling people of the benefits of the project and are attempting to correct all the misinformation that has been spread until now,” said Varsha Gaikwad.

Two meetings have already been held, one at the Ashok Mill Compound and the other near Kumbharwada. From assuaging fears that rehabilitation tenements will be in the far-flung suburbs to assuring residents that the deadline for protection of shanties would be extended from 1995 to 2000, the Gaikwads have their task cut out.

“The fear that livelihood will be lost is prominent,” Varsha admits. “But there is a policy for those with industrial or commercial spaces. We are also seeking greater commercial space in the saleable component, so that job creation is maximum. Also, there will be technical colleges. We are suggesting that Dharavi’s people be trained to find jobs in the galas that will come up here. The quality of their life is set to improve,” she adds.

... contd.