Aaditya Thackeray asks BMC to recover Rs 5,000-crore net premium from Dharavi redevelopment project

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In a letter to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray raised the question over giving up Rs 5,000-crore net premium amount to Dharavi Redevelopment Project Pvt Ltd (DRPPL). mid-day reached out to the BMC chief over Thackeray's allegations, but he did not respond to the message.

Thackeray posted a copy of the letter addressed to the municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani on social media platform X. In the letter, he stated that as per records, it is clear that 70% of the land in the Dharavi Redevelopment Project is owned by BMC. According to the Development Control Rules (DCR) 2034, BMC is due to get 25% of land premium based on the Ready Reckoner Rate (RRR) and 70% of the net premium for this project. On the basis of some basic calculations, the total amount that BMC must get from the Dharavi Redevelopment Project Pvt Ltd in lieu of land premium and net premium is approximately Rs 5,000 crore.

The Worli legislator further stated that this is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) project, and any decision to exempt the private limited from paying premiums to the BMC is highly unfair on Mumbai. The lead company has asked for more than 1,060 acres across Mumbai, free of cost, from which it will earn revenue, but BMC will have to bear the burden of providing electricity and water, Thackeray said.

In the letter, Thackeray stated, "Isn't this a loot of Maharashtra's capital, Mumbai? And also a way to control a major portion of our city? I humbly request that you disclose the total amount of premiums as per DCR that are due to BMC from Dharavi Redevelopment Project Pvt Ltd and whether the BMC has raised any demand note to recover this premium from Dharavi Redevelopment Project Pvt Ltd? The premiums have to come to the BMC and not the DRPPL or SRA."