Sharad Pawar will not allow destruction of Mumbai to re-develop Dharavi: Uddhav Thackeray

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar will not allow anyone to destroy Mumbai, former Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said referring to the Dharavi redevelopment project awarded to the Adani Group. Thackeray's remarks came days after Pawar's two back-to-back meetings with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde where the Dharavi redevelopment project was believed to have been discussed.

"My stand is clear. Adani is not my enemy, but if anyone comes to destroy Mumbai, I will not allow it... and I don't think Pawar will allow anyone to destroy Mumbai," Thackeray said.

The Shiv Sena-UBT has been opposed to the Dharavi redevelopment project contending that it sought to re-settle residents of Asia's biggest slum at different locations across Mumbai.


"We demand that residents of Dharavi be given homes in Dharavi itself. Also, each home in Dharavi has a small enterprise or a business. The redevelopment project should also address these needs," Thackeray said.

The former Maharashtra chief minister said the Adani group wants to shift the residents of Dharavi to different locations across Mumbai, including the salt lands on the eastern fringes of the city and the Kurla Mother Dairy site.

"But if you want to create 20 Dharavis in Mumbai, we will not let that happen. We will not allow the creation of 20 Dharavis from one Dharavi in Mumbai," Thackeray said.

The Shiv Sena-UBT supremo said if the Adani group wanted to set up transit camps, they can be built on the land parcels at Bandra Reclamation and airport that have been awarded to the group.