Dharavi Will be New Bandra-Kurla Complex of Mumbai, Says CM Fadnavis

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said post redevelopment, Dharavi, one of the metropolis' biggest slum clusters, will be its "new BKC".

Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), a business district set up on 370 hectares of low-lying land on either side of the Mithi river, Vakola Nalla and Mahim Creek, is now among the country's biggest finance and commercial hubs.

Fadnavis said his government had launched several mega infrastructure projects in and around Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), adding that the state would contribute over 20 per cent in the overall economy of the country in the next five years, which itself aims to be a USD 5 trillion economy by then.

"After getting stuck for several years, the Dharavi makeover project has got momentum as we worked seriously to remove all hindrances. The railways has given 45 acres of land. Dharavi is going to be new BKC of Mumbai," he said, adding several metro rail networks were under construction at a collective cost of over Rs 1.10 lakh crore.

"In addition to this, the railways is carrying out several mega projects of Rs 54,000 crore. Over 10 lakh affordable homes are to be built in MMR," Fadnavis added. He was speaking after launching the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP)'s membership drive in the metropolis.

Speaking on the occasion, the CM asked BJP workers and leaders to pursue a target of getting 50 per cent of votes, and expressed hope that the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance would win the forthcoming Assembly election handsomely.

Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and former Union minister Suresh Prabhu also attended the event. As part of the drive, the BJP wants to add at least 50 members to each of its 95,472 booths in Maharashtra.

Talking about the works of Bharatiya Jan Sangh founder Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Naqvi said the BJP had demolished "deceit of appeasement politics" through "commitment to inclusive growth with trust".

"The political termite of appeasement had damaged the atmosphere of development in the country. The BJP has made the country free from this termite and created an atmosphere of inclusive growth with trust," he said.