Makeover plan for Asias biggest slum faces ire of residents media
Local fear that an $11bn redevelopment project in Mumbai could leave out thousands of people
A plan to transform Dharavi, known globally as one of the largest slums in South Asia, is facing opposition from local residents, the Indian Express reported on Friday. Located in the heart of India's financial capital, Mumbai, Dharavi spans over 250 hectares and has attracted attention from tourists, economists, urban planners, and Hollywood.
The redevelopment plan, approved by the government of Maharashtra on Wednesday, aims to build nearly 60,000 residential houses and over 13,000 commercial units for eligible tenants in the area. The total cost of the project is estimated at $11 billion.
The proposal also includes improving infrastructure in the area, and could take up to seven years to complete.
However, according to the Indian Express, this plan has drawn criticism from Dharavi residents, who are protesting that only those occupying ground-floor structures will be eligible for rehousing.
There are over 100,000 ground-floor structures in Dharavi, with at least 150,000 to 200,000 tenants residing on the second and third floors, Rajendra Korde, president of the Dharavi Redevelopment Samiti, told the outlet. He questioned the survey conducted by the agency working on the project. Accordingto government officials,Dharavi houses over 600,000 people.
The Dharavi Redevelopment Plan (DRP) is a joint venture between the Adani Group, one of India's largest conglomerates led by Gautam Adani, and the Maharashtra state government. Since securing the project, the DRP has been conducting a survey to identify the total number of residents in Dharavi who are eligible.
It estimates that 72,000 housing and commercial units built on 47.20 hectares will be required, according to the master plan presented to the authorities, the report noted. While Dharavi is known as a densely populated slum, it is also a thriving hub for small businesses. Over the decades, it has emerged as a vital industrial zone for leather, textiles, and other small-scale exports.
The Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office has stated that the project is designed to preserve Dharavi's unique commercial identity. The master plan for Dharavi includes creating five industry clusters: garment, pottery, leather, food, and recycling, as well as improving connectivity in the redeveloped areas.
(RT.com)
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Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
UPSC Key: Landslides, Uranium enrichment, and China's curbs on rare-earths
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Are they permitted under WTO rules? • What is the US Trade Expansion Act of 1962? • How can high US tariffs on steel and aluminium trigger ripple effects globally? • What can be the implications of the US doubling steel import tariffs on India-US bilateral trade relations? How can it affect ongoing Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations? • What is the role of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in resolving unilateral trade actions? • What are India's major exports to the US? • What strategies is India using to navigate potential trade negotiations with the U.S.? • Read about the bilateral trade agreement between India and the USA? Key Takeaways: • Addressing a rally at a US steel plant in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, Trump said Friday, the sharp hike in tariffs on steel from 25 per cent to 50 per cent will 'even further secure the steel industry in the United States'. 'Nobody's going to get around that,' he said. • Later in a social media post, Trump said, 'It is my great honour to raise the tariffs on steel and aluminium from 25% to 50%, effective Wednesday, June 4th. Our steel and aluminium industries are coming back like never before. This will be yet another BIG jolt of great news for our wonderful steel and aluminium workers. Make America Great Again.' • This fresh tariff hike follows a similar increase earlier this year, when Trump raised tariffs on aluminium and steel to 25 per cent. Exporters had told the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry that exports worth $5 billion were affected. • 'It's unfortunate that, while bilateral trade agreement (BTA) negotiations are ongoing, such unilateral tariff hikes are being introduced. It only makes the work of negotiators much more difficult and complicated. This will definitely impact engineering exports, which currently stand at around $5 billion under this category,' said Pankaj Chadha, Chairman, Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) India. • 'We urge that, since the UK has been granted exemption from Section 232, India should also be extended a similar exemption, possibly under tariff rate quota (TRQ) restrictions.' • The tariff hike has been implemented under Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act of 1962, a law that allows the President to impose tariffs or other trade restrictions if imports are deemed a threat to national security. Trump first invoked this provision in 2018 to impose a 25 per cent tariff on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium. • US tariffs on steel and aluminium tend to trigger ripple effects globally. During Trump's first term, the European Union imposed restrictions on Indian exporters in response to similar US measures. • India has already issued a formal notice at the World Trade Organization (WTO) signalling its intention to impose retaliatory tariffs on US goods in response to the earlier steel tariffs. With Trump now doubling the duties, it remains to be seen whether India will proceed with retaliation, potentially by increasing tariffs on select US exports within a month. Do You Know: • Tariffs are taxes or duties imposed by a government on imported goods and services. Their objective is to make foreign products more expensive compared to domestically produced goods, thereby encouraging consumers to prefer local products. Tariffs also act as a protective measure for domestic industries against foreign competition. 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This marked the most expansive and widespread retaliation by India in recent years, since the Balakot airstrikes in 2019 and the surgical strikes following the Uri attack in 2016. The attacks were made at nine locations, which were terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. • India's planned fifth-generation fighter jet—advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) — hit a new milestone on 27th May with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approving the execution model. With this, the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will have to bid independently or in partnership with other firms to get the contract for manufacturing it. The execution model approach provides equal opportunities to both the private and public sectors on a competitive basis. The AMCA will be India's indigenous fifth-generation fighter aircraft. The indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas is a 4.5-generation single-engine multirole aircraft. 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Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | Landslides : 5 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (3) Consider the following statements: 1. Any area where surface runoff is directed or land is heavily saturated is vulnerable to landslides. 2. The soil topography, rock type, geomorphology, and slope angles in certain areas can make them more vulnerable to landslides than others. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Previous year UPSC Mains Questions Covering similar theme: Describe the various causes and the effects of landslides. Mention the important components of the National Landslide Risk Management Strategy. (UPSC CSE 2021) The Himalayas are highly prone to landslides.' Discuss the causes and suggest suitable measures of mitigation. 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(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Main Examination: General Studies-II, III: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests, Science and Technology. What's the ongoing story: Iran has further increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, a confidential report by the U.N. nuclear watchdog said Saturday. In a separate report, the agency called on Tehran to urgently change course and comply with its years-long probe. Key Points to Ponder: • What is uranium enrichment? • What is the difference between natural uranium and enriched uranium? • What is the significance of uranium enrichment levels in the context of nuclear non-proliferation? • Read about the International Atomic Energy Agency. 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It was the result of U.S. President Eisenhower's 'Atoms for Peace' address to the General Assembly of the United Nations on 8 December 1953. • In 2005, the IAEA and its Director General, Mohamed ElBaradei, were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their work for a safer and more peaceful world. The Committee honoured the IAEA and its leader 'for their efforts to prevent nuclear energy from being used for military purposes and to ensure that nuclear energy for peaceful purposes is used in the safest possible way.' • IAEA Safeguards are embedded in legally binding agreements. These safeguards are accepted by the states after the conclusion of such agreements with the agency. It plays a central role in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons through the independent verification of States' compliance with nuclear non-proliferation undertakings. • In 2014, India ratified the Additional Protocol (AP), which granted the IAEA greater access to India's civil nuclear programme. India has signed an item-specific safeguards agreement under the IAEA along with Pakistan and Israel. They are nuclear-power states that are not a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍The history of Iran's nuclear programme Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (5) Which of the following is not a member of 'Gulf Cooperation Council'? (UPSC CSE 2016) (a) Iran (b) Saudi Arabia (c) Oman (d) Kuwait (6) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2023) Statement-I: India, despite uranium deposits, depends on coal for most of its electricity production. Statement-II: Uranium, enriched to the extent of at least 60%, is required for the production of electricity. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements? (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-1 (c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect (d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Roshni Yadav is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She is an alumna of the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University, where she pursued her graduation and post-graduation in Political Science. She has over five years of work experience in ed-tech and media. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. Her interests lie in national and international affairs, governance, economy, and social issues. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
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6 hours ago
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