Over Half of Mumbai’s Slum Land Enters Redevelopment Phase

Mumbai’s slum redevelopment programme has reached an unprecedented scale, with 56.35% of the city’s total slum land either under active redevelopment or stalled projects. The latest figures highlight the growing pace of urban renewal while also revealing the challenges that continue to affect project execution and rehabilitation.

Redevelopment Expands Across the City

According to data from the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), redevelopment projects now cover 2,751 acres of land—surpassing the Mumbai Port Authority’s 2,333-acre land bank and approaching the size of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, which spans 2,866 acres.

Of Mumbai’s total 4,882 acres of slum land, 2,156 acres are currently under active redevelopment, while projects spread across 595 acres have stalled. Overall, redevelopment activities now extend across 56.35% of the city’s slum land.

The scale is equally significant when compared internationally. The redevelopment area is nearly eight times the size of London’s Hyde Park (350 acres) and more than three times the size of New York’s Central Park (843 acres).

Projects on the Ground

Mumbai currently has 1,202 active redevelopment projects, involving 321,858 hutments and covering 44.16% of the city’s total slum land.

Alongside these, 271 stalled projects involving 89,153 hutments continue to remain incomplete. Together, both active and stalled projects account for 56.35% of Mumbai’s slum land.

Growth Driven by Multiple Factors

Real estate experts attribute the rapid increase in redevelopment to supportive government policies, limited availability of developable land and the strategic location of many slum settlements.

Pankaj Kapoor, Founder and Managing Director of Liases Foras, said:

“There is a huge spurt in the number of projects as well as the total acres under redevelopment.”

He further added:

“This has happened due to multiple factors, including policy interventions favouring revamp of such colonies, a dearth of land availability within Greater Mumbai limits, the opportunities Mumbai’s real estate provides, and most importantly, several of the slum colonies are on good and premium locations.”

Stalled Projects Remain a Concern

Despite the strong momentum, stalled projects continue to pose a serious challenge.

Kapoor cautioned:

“Going by the historic numbers, usually, 20-25% of the real estate projects get stalled. However, in the case of slum revamp ones, the rate of stalled projects is higher. This indicates an unsafe and risky horizon ahead.”

He also pointed out that many stalled projects are located in areas with relatively lower slum density, where the free-sale component permitted under existing regulations may not be sufficient to make projects financially viable.

Thousands Still Await Rehabilitation

While redevelopment activity has accelerated, rehabilitation remains incomplete for a significant number of families.

Around 285,000 slum dwellers are spread across 607 proposed projects, covering 1,015 acres.

Since the establishment of the SRA in 1995, 631 projects covering 556 acres have been completed, resulting in the rehabilitation of nearly 294,000 families.

However, the future of another 309,989 hutments spread across 560 acres still remains undecided.

Residents’ Rights Must Remain Central

Social activist Medha Patkar, founder of the Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan, welcomed the large-scale redevelopment but stressed that rehabilitation must remain people-centric.

She said:

“People in the slums should first be provided permanent accommodation, which the law already permits. However, the rent paid during project implementation should match micro market standards.”

Patkar also highlighted that her organisation frequently receives complaints from residents alleging that structures are demolished before eligibility verification is completed.

She further said:

“People residing in such colonies are an integral part of Mumbai’s economy. Hence, the eligibility cut-off date should also be extended from the current January 1, 2000.”

Slum-Free Mumbai Vision

The Maharashtra Government’s larger objective is to create a “Slum-Free Mumbai.”

The SRA currently has 607 projects in the pipeline, including 19 cluster redevelopment schemes, each spanning at least 50 acres.

The first cluster redevelopment project has already been awarded to Reliance 4IR Realty Development Ltd., the real estate arm of Reliance Industries, in partnership with Mahadev Realtors from the Aspect Group.

Located at Juhu Lane-Gilbert Hill, Andheri West, the project spans 101.36 acres and will rehabilitate more than 28,000 slum dwellers.

Calling the project a milestone in Mumbai’s redevelopment journey, SRA Chief Executive Mahendra Kalyankar said:

“The Juhu Lane’s slum cluster’s successful tendering process marks a watershed moment in Mumbai’s redevelopment journey. The enthusiastic participation of leading corporate groups is a strong endorsement of the government’s vision and the credibility of the SRA’s redevelopment framework. This project will become a model for future cluster redevelopment projects across Mumbai.”

More Cluster Projects Ahead

The momentum is expected to continue, with three additional cluster redevelopment proposals awaiting state government approval.

These include projects at Antop Hill spanning 450 acres, Majaswadi in Jogeshwari East covering 260 acres, and Behrampada in Bandra East spread across 140 acres, indicating that Mumbai’s largest-ever slum redevelopment programme is set for further expansion.

Industry Optimistic

Developers believe the shift towards cluster redevelopment will transform the city’s redevelopment landscape.

Shraddha Kedia-Agarwal, Director, Transcon Developers, said:

“With multiple rehabilitation and reconstruction projects progressing simultaneously, we are witnessing a decisive shift towards a more structured and scalable redevelopment model. Cluster redevelopment has the potential to address long-standing issues associated with fragmented redevelopment by enabling better planning, modern infrastructure, wider roads, enhanced social amenities and improved quality of life for residents.”

She added:

“As policy support strengthens and approvals become more streamlined, we expect greater participation from credible developers, ultimately accelerating the pace of housing delivery and inclusive urban renewal across the city.”

Rajiv Agrawal, Promoter and Co-founder of Saarathi Realtors & Associates, said:

“For years, SRA was the sole nodal agency, which often led to limitations in scale and pace. After policy amendments, including cluster redevelopment, the government aims to actually make Mumbai slum free and unlock hundreds of acres of underutilised land.”

The Road Ahead

Mumbai’s redevelopment journey has entered a decisive phase, with more than half of its slum land already within the redevelopment pipeline. While the scale of transformation is unprecedented, the long-term success of this mission will depend on timely project execution, transparent implementation, financial viability, and above all, safeguarding the rights and rehabilitation of affected residents. Striking the right balance between rapid urban renewal and inclusive development will ultimately determine whether Mumbai’s vision of becoming a truly slum-free city can be achieved.

By Sana Khan
Executive Editor,
Realty Quarter
Mumbai