MUMBAI, India, Aug. 3 (ANI): The Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) will place the restoration of the Mithi River at the center of a new green-blue network designed to improve the environment and create healthier public spaces in one of Mumbai’s most densely populated neighborhoods.
The redevelopment master plan combines a restored riverfront, parks, tree-lined corridors and open spaces to create a continuous network of green areas throughout Dharavi. The project aims to improve air quality, reduce surface temperatures, enhance biodiversity and provide residents with greater access to public green spaces.
As part of the plan, approximately 40,000 trees will be planted or rejuvenated in phases within Dharavi. In addition, nearly 200,000 compensatory trees will be planted across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
A centerpiece of the redevelopment is a 3.3-kilometer (2.1-mile) public promenade along the rejuvenated Mithi River, extending from the Matunga culvert to the Mithi riverfront. The promenade will be open to the public and will feature viewing decks, cafés and cultural spaces while preserving and enhancing the river’s ecological character.
“The riverfront will be lined with native trees and pollution-absorbing vegetation. Permeable paving and bioswales have also been planned to improve stormwater management, increase groundwater recharge and support the long-term health of the river ecosystem,” an Adani Navbharat Developers Private Limited (ANDPL) official said in a press release.
The riverfront will connect with the project’s broader network of green spaces, including a 15-meter-wide (49-foot-wide) Green Spine for pedestrians and cyclists, a large Central Park and several neighborhood parks throughout Dharavi.
“These green spaces have been planned as one connected network. Together with the rejuvenated Mithi River, they will improve air circulation, reduce the urban heat island effect and create cleaner, healthier and more accessible public spaces for residents,” the official said.
Project officials told the Tree Authority that about 40,000 trees will be planted or rejuvenated within Dharavi in phases, nearly five times the number proposed to be removed for redevelopment work. Compensatory tree planting will take place in Palghar tehsil.
“We have already planted 30,000 trees at Chahade village in Palghar as sufficient land was not available within BMC limits,” the official said.
The project aims to plant nearly 75,000 trees during the current monsoon season.
Environmental consulting firm Terracon has been appointed to carry out the plantation work and maintain the trees for five years.
The company will oversee scientific planting, irrigation, protection and maintenance to improve tree survival rates and will submit mandatory survival reports every six months under the afforestation program.
The entire cost of planting and maintenance will be borne by Adani Navbharat Developers Private Limited.
According to ANDPL, the combined impact of the restored Mithi River, extensive tree planting and the interconnected network of parks and green corridors is expected to improve the local environment and make green public spaces a central feature of Dharavi’s transformation. (ANI)
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