the cost of the Dharavi redevelopment project (drp) has crossed the Rs 13,000 crore mark from Rs 9,200 crore estimated earlier. The escalation means changes in the bidding process and bids that were to be received till April 2008 will extend to June, causing further delay.

"The cost has been rising since the project was cleared in 2004. It was pegged at Rs 4,000 crore initially. But the government took a decision to increase the cut-off date for the project from January 1, 1995 to January 1, 2000. This means an additional 20,000 slum dwellers have to be accommodated within the present project estimate of 57,000 families. The carpet area of flats has been increased from 225 square feet to 270 square feet,' says Raju Korde of Dharavi Bachao Samiti, an organization spearheading the movement against the present redevelopment project in Mumbai. Among other things, the samiti is demanding flats be of 400 sq ft carpet area (see