Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced that the first phase of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project is expected to be completed within the next 18 months, with around 10,000 newly built homes ready for eligible residents.

Addressing the Maharashtra Assembly, the Chief Minister said the Prime Minister is expected to hand over the keys to beneficiaries once the first phase is completed. He described the initiative as more than a housing project, saying it aims to improve both living standards and economic opportunities in Dharavi.

“We will organise a programme in the next one-and-a-half years where the Prime Minister will hand over the keys to 10,000 homes in Dharavi,” Fadnavis said.

Eligible residents to be rehabilitated within Dharavi

According to the Chief Minister, residents who qualify under the year 2000 eligibility cut-off will receive rehabilitation homes within Dharavi itself.

He added that people who are not eligible under the original criteria or whose properties fall outside the redevelopment area will also receive housing. These beneficiaries will be allotted homes at locations close to Dharavi rather than being shifted to distant parts of Mumbai.

Eligible beneficiaries under the project will receive rehabilitation homes measuring 350 square feet. Residents covered under the extended 2011 eligibility criteria will also be accommodated after paying the prescribed charge of ₹2.5 lakh.

Project to cover residential, commercial and industrial redevelopment

Spread across nearly 600 acres in central Mumbai, the Dharavi Redevelopment Project seeks to redevelop residential, commercial and industrial areas while rehabilitating eligible residents. Construction work began in January 2025.

The Maharashtra government estimates the project will include around 95 million square feet of rehabilitation construction along with nearly 130 million square feet of commercial development. Existing commercial establishments operating in Dharavi will also be redeveloped as part of the initiative.

Fadnavis said the state has identified 19 cluster redevelopment projects across Mumbai, including Juhu Galli, Behrampada and Antop Hill, as part of a wider urban renewal plan.

Government highlights economic and infrastructure benefits

The Chief Minister said no GST would be levied under the project for the first five years. He added that the redevelopment is expected to cover nearly 1.6 lakh residential and industrial units.

Describing Dharavi as a future economic hub for Mumbai, Fadnavis said the redevelopment would help integrate informal businesses into the formal economy while improving infrastructure for residents and commercial establishments.

The project is being implemented through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) under a public-private partnership between the Maharashtra government and the Adani Group. The state government has described it as one of the world’s largest urban renewal initiatives and an important step towards its goal of making Mumbai slum-free.

A suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district, bringing an end to a multi-day search operation that had been underway since the militants were first spotted in the area.

According to officials, the body of the suspected terrorist was recovered from the Saidpora area of South Kashmir. Arms and ammunition were also seized from the encounter site following the operation.

The operation began after surveillance cameras reportedly captured two suspected terrorists moving through a dense orchard in the Chhanapora area of Saidpora several days ago. Based on the footage and subsequent intelligence inputs, security forces launched a cordon and search operation to track down the suspects.

Officials said the search was initiated following information about the presence of suspected Lashkar commander Zakir Ganai and his associate, Latief Bhat. Security agencies are still working to formally establish the identity of the militant killed in the encounter.

Joint operation by police, Army and CRPF

The anti-terror operation was carried out jointly by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Army’s Rashtriya Rifles and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

As security personnel closed in on the suspected militants, an exchange of fire reportedly took place. To prevent any escape, forces sealed all possible exit routes through the orchard. The Army’s specialised counter-insurgency formation, Victor Force, also illuminated the area during the night to improve visibility and tighten the security cordon.

Following the operation, the Jammu and Kashmir Police shared a message on social media stating, “You can run, but you cannot hide,” confirming the success of the mission.

Authorities have not yet announced whether the second suspected militant has been apprehended or remains at large. Search operations in the area are expected to continue.

Delhi-NCR experienced heavy rainfall on Wednesday morning as monsoon activity remained active across the region, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to continue a yellow alert for the national capital. The weather department has forecast more rain, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds over the next five days.

According to the IMD, Delhi is expected to witness generally cloudy skies on Wednesday and Thursday, along with intermittent spells of light rain, isolated moderate showers, thunderstorms and lightning. The department said wet weather conditions are likely to continue over the coming days, although rainfall intensity may vary.

Heavy showers bring relief but disrupt normal life

Tuesday turned out to be Delhi’s wettest day of the year so far, with persistent rainfall providing relief from the recent spell of hot and humid weather. However, the heavy showers also led to widespread waterlogging, uprooted trees and major traffic congestion across several parts of the city.

The rainfall caused temperatures to drop sharply, with the mercury falling by nearly 10 degrees Celsius compared to previous days.

Traffic movement remained slow on several key roads, including Geeta Colony Road towards Noida, NH-48, Old Rohtak Road and the Akshardham Road stretch leading to Noida.

Weather system behind the rainfall

According to weather experts, the ongoing rainfall over Delhi was triggered by the interaction of a western disturbance over northern Pakistan, an intense low-pressure area over central Madhya Pradesh and moisture-laden monsoon winds arriving from the Arabian Sea.

Meteorologists expect rainfall intensity to reduce gradually over the next two days, although isolated spells of rain are likely to continue while temperatures rise slightly.

Schools shut in parts of Karnataka

Amid continuous rainfall in Karnataka’s Belagavi district, the district administration declared a holiday for anganwadis, schools and colleges in Belagavi, Khanapur and Nippani taluks due to widespread rain.

PMO reviews El Niño preparedness

Separately, the Prime Minister’s Office held a high-level review meeting to assess the progress of the monsoon season and the possible impact of El Niño. Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr P. K. Mishra directed ministries and states to closely monitor vulnerable districts, ensure adequate drinking water availability, maintain fodder supplies and keep reservoir levels under regular review.

Officials also noted that India’s rainfall deficit has narrowed to 12 per cent, with the first week of July witnessing above-normal monsoon activity.