Advertisement
What really powers the cloud? Behind every Google search, A...
A lot of what defines a home isn’t visible at handover. I...
Private equity has played a significant role in shaping Indi...
Luxury real estate is one of the most talked-about segments ...
Airports play a much bigger role than just enabling travel -...
BEST has approved the transfer of its Dharavi and Kalakilla bus depots in Mumbai for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, facilitating the handover of 11.58 acres of land. The decision enables project developer Navbharat Mega Developers Pvt Ltd (NMDPL) to proceed with redevelopment plans while maintaining bus operations through temporary facilities. The depots will eventually be replaced by new multi-storey transport hubs. The move removes a key operational hurdle for the INR 96,000 crore Dharavi Redevelopment Project currently underway.
The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking has approved the transfer of its Dharavi and Kalakilla bus depots to facilitate the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP), clearing the way for the handover of 11.58 acres of land in central Mumbai for one of the country’s largest urban redevelopment programmes. The decision was taken in the past week after BEST's committee cleared the proposal linked to the redevelopment scheme being implemented by Navbharat Mega Developers Pvt Ltd (NMDPL).
The two depots form an important part of BEST’s operational network and currently accommodate bus services catering to several parts of Mumbai. Under the approved plan, the developer will first establish temporary facilities to ensure continuity of transport services before permanent redevelopment work begins. According to the proposal approved by BEST, a temporary bus depot will be developed on 6.17 acres within the existing land parcel and will have capacity to park 145 buses.
Officials stated that the Dharavi and Kalakilla depots presently have parking capacity for 288 buses, necessitating additional arrangements during the transition period. BEST committee members sought assurances that the temporary facilities would include essential infrastructure and staff amenities such as rest rooms, toilets and changing facilities to minimise operational disruption.
The redevelopment proposal provides for the construction of two permanent multi-storey bus depots at separate locations. One depot is planned on a plot measuring 8,602 square metres and will accommodate up to 275 buses. The second depot, spread across 10,544 square metres, will have a similar parking capacity. The lower levels of both buildings will be used for bus operations, while upper floors will house administrative offices and operational facilities for BEST. Additional commercial space is also proposed within the structures.
The developer submitted its draft proposal to BEST in the last week of April, outlining both temporary and permanent arrangements for the depots. Officials indicated that the new facilities are expected to be located close to the existing depots and are intended to serve routes connecting the eastern and western suburbs, thereby limiting the impact on daily bus operations.
Once the replacement depots are completed, the remaining 5.41 acres of the existing depot land will be transferred for redevelopment purposes. BEST officials stated that construction of the permanent depots is expected to be completed within five to seven years from the issuance of the work order. The development agreement governing the Dharavi Redevelopment Project also provides for penalties if the stipulated timelines are not met.
The transfer marks another procedural step in the implementation of the INR 96,000 crore Dharavi Redevelopment Project, which seeks to redevelop one of Mumbai’s largest informal settlements through a mix of rehabilitation, infrastructure and commercial development components.
5th Jun, 2025
25th May, 2023
11th May, 2023
27th Apr, 2023
Advertisement
Facebook
Whatsapp
