Mumbai's Dharavi is getting a 3.3-km riverfront: Here's how it could transform everyday life

Mumbai's ambitious Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) is set to get a major environmental and urban infrastructure boost, with Adani Navbharat Developers Private Limited (ANDPL) announcing plans to develop a 3.3-kilometre public waterfront along the Mithi River.

The project, which will run alongside the ongoing redevelopment of Dharavi, aims to transform one of Mumbai's most polluted river stretches into a public green space featuring promenades, cycling tracks, parks and ecological restoration. According to The Indian Express, the riverfront will extend from the Matunga culvert and become an integral part of Dharavi's larger redevelopment masterplan.

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3.3-km Mithi River

The proposed riverfront will include a 15-metre-wide Green Spine dedicated to pedestrians and cyclists, connecting the Mithi River promenade with the planned Central Park inside Dharavi.

The waterfront is expected to feature viewing decks overlooking the river, cafes and cultural spaces, tree-lined walkways, pollution-absorbing native vegetation, as well as permeable pavements and bioswales for improved stormwater management and groundwater recharge.

"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," according to officials.

Aims to improve Dharavi's environment

The riverfront is part of a broader "green-blue network" planned under the Dharavi Redevelopment Project.

According to Adani Navbharat Developers, nearly 40,000 trees will be rejuvenated and planted across Dharavi in multiple phases. The project also proposes a continuous network of parks, tree-lined corridors and public open spaces designed to improve air quality, reduce urban heat and strengthen biodiversity.

An ANDPL official said the connected green spaces would help "improve air circulation, reduce the urban heat island effect and create cleaner, healthier and more accessible public spaces for residents."

Tree-cutting remains a major point of debate

The latest announcement comes shortly after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) granted permission to remove 1,693 trees for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, with officials stating that roughly half of them will be transplanted. Nearly 8,000 trees may ultimately be felled as redevelopment progresses.

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According to project officials:

• Around 2 lakh compensatory trees will be planted across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
• 30,000 trees have already been planted at Chahade village in Palghar.
• The project aims to plant 75,000 trees during the current monsoon season.
• Environmental consultancy Terracon has been appointed to oversee scientific plantation, irrigation, maintenance, and survival monitoring for a period of five years.

Rehabilitation work already underway

Construction of rehabilitation housing under the Dharavi Redevelopment Project has already begun, with residents from Sector 6 being shifted to facilitate new residential buildings. The Mithi River rejuvenation and public waterfront are expected to complement the township's long-term redevelopment by adding accessible green infrastructure to one of Mumbai's most densely populated neighbourhoods.