Why is salt pan land being used for homes?: Explained Premium

The Hindu Explains on Why is salt pan land being used for homes? by Vinaya Deshpande Pandit

The story so far: The Maharashtra government has issued a GR (Government Resolution) allocating 255.9 acres of salt pan land, distributed over three land parcels in Mumbai’s eastern suburbs, for the construction of rental houses in the Dharavi Redevelopment Project through a lease agreement.

Salt pan lands are ecologically important salt marshlands. They are low-lying areas around the shore that are used for salt cultivation. They act as holding ponds and work as a sponge for the absorption of rain. They are a coastal area’s natural defence against flooding. They help intertidal activity, and are home to diverse flora and fauna.

The government has allocated 255.9 acres of salt pan land distributed over three land parcels — 120.5 acres of Arthur Salt Works land at Kanjur, 76.9 acres of Jenkins Salt Works land at Kanjur and Bhandup, and 58.5 acres of Jamasp Salt Works land at Mulund — to Dharavi residents. Maharashtra has almost 13,000 acres of salt pan land, of which over 5,000 acres are in Mumbai. The DCPR-2034 (Development Control and Promotion Regulations) document says 1,781 acres of that land can be developed. The land parcels allocated for rental housing for the Dharavi project are under the ownership of the Central government. After the Maharashtra government sought these parcels from the Centre, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal in September 2024.

Four conditions have been put forth for the allocation of the land which will be given at a concessional rate of 25% of the prevailing rate. The State government will collect the land revenue from the Dharavi Redevelopment Project Private Limited (DRPPL), the special purpose vehicle (SPV), and pay it to the Central government. The DRPPL will bear the cost of resettlement of the labourers working on the land, and other incidental costs for the acquisition of the land. But the court cases and other legal matters will be handled through the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP), a government body. The land will be used for rental housing, slum rehabilitation, and affordable housing for economically weaker sections. The DRPPL is an SPV in which an Adani Group entity holds 80% stake and the State government has a 20% stake. The land will be leased to the Maharashtra government for a period of 99 years, and it cannot be used for commercial activities.

Urban planners and environmentalists say that an impact assessment study needs to be done before opening up large packs of land for intensive activities like housing. They also say that the salt pan lands on the Eastern Express Highway have played an important role in keeping the eastern suburbs free from flooding. The most important demand with respect to the Dharavi project has been for in-situ rehabilitation. Urban planners point out that handing over land parcels in different parts of the city for a developer will lead to formation of ghettos. They also say that the impact of hyperactivity on ecologically sensitive areas needs to be studied.

The Centre will hand over the land to the State government, which will give permission to DRPPL to go ahead with the construction after their plans are approved. For that, the DRPPL will have to seek an approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Environmentalists claim that the entire process from here on can be challenged in the court of law. As per the GR issued by the government of Maharashtra, the litigation will be taken care of by DRP, the government body.