Mumbai, July 24 (IANS) As the survey phase of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) comes to an end, a significant number of residents, who had earlier missed or not participated, are calling the project’s toll-free helpline for inclusion, said a project official on Thursday.

Out of the 700 calls received in the past month, nearly 41 per cent were related to requests to complete a door-to-door/household survey, a crucial step in the redevelopment process to decide eligibility.

“This response highlights the palpable anxiety among residents about missing out on the redevelopment scheme and foregoing its housing benefits,” said an official, adding that the helpline registered 300 calls in the past 30 days for the eligibility survey.

Other queries received on the helpline were requests for a list of documents to complete eligibility verification, timeline expectations, and when new homes will be allotted. There were also inquiries about location, size of new housing units, numbering of upper floors and the recent campaign urging residents to come forward for a survey, he said.

As only a few tenements and communities remain that have volunteered to exclude themselves from the eligibility survey, like the Kumbharwada, Compound 13, and a handful of tenements on private lands in various slum pockets, it is a sign that residents are sensing time is slipping away.

“Despite initial resistance, Kumbharwada residents have started volunteering to get their tenements numbered in the past two days,” he said.

“We are heartened by the volume and quality of engagement we are receiving from the residents. The fact that nearly half of the calls are about the survey process shows that people are informed, interested, and eager to participate in the transformation,” the official added.

The toll-free helpline continues to serve as a vital two-way communication channel, ensuring that residents are heard, their doubts addressed, and their concerns recorded.

“We remain committed to a transparent, people-first redevelopment effort that keeps communication open at every stage. This is a housing for all project,” a DRP official said.

The Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) is among the largest and most inclusive urban renewal initiatives in the world, aiming to uplift over 10 lakh residents through well-planned housing, infrastructure, and community services without displacing the social and economic fabric of the area.

–IANS

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