Adani expands hold over Mumbai redevelopment projects, including Goregaon cluster

In Mumbai, India’s financial capital, the Adani Group is steadily expanding its footprint in lucrative slum and cluster redevelopment projects tied to high-value urban land. After securing the redevelopment of Dharavi (625 acres), followed by Bandra Reclamation (24 acres), the group has now won the contract for the Motilal Nagar project in Goregaon, spread across 143 acres.

Having outbid DLF for the Dharavi project, Adani subsequently surpassed Larsen & Toubro with higher bids for both the Bandra Reclamation and Motilal Nagar developments. Through these projects, the group has acquired significant development rights and land access in Mumbai in recent years. Last year, an Adani subsidiary also purchased a 1.1-acre private property on Carmichael Road in south Mumbai.

Opposition parties have repeatedly accused the Centre and the Maharashtra state government of favouring the Adani Group in awarding these projects. Meanwhile, the conglomerate has successfully navigated legal challenges, including those reaching the Supreme Court. However, residents of Dharavi and Motilal Nagar have raised concerns over transparency, with protests continuing in Dharavi.

The government maintains that ownership of the Motilal Nagar land will remain with the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA). Speaking to the media on Friday, MHADA Vice-President and CEO Sanjeev Jaiswal said that while the project was initially estimated at Rs 36,000 crore, total investment could now rise to Rs 1 lakh crore, to be funded by the Adani Group.

Motilal Nagar is being positioned as one of India’s first modern township-style redevelopment projects. Families currently living in homes of around 230 sq ft are expected to be rehoused in units measuring approximately 1,600 sq ft. In addition to housing, the project will include sports facilities, socio-cultural centres and modern business hubs. It will be executed under the construction and development (C&D) model.

Jaiswal emphasised that rehabilitation of residents would be the top priority. Around 10.5 lakh square metres of rehabilitation work will be undertaken by the Adani Group and later handed over to MHADA. More than 35,000 families are expected to be resettled under the scheme.

The project is among the largest single redevelopment initiatives in Maharashtra’s housing history, with nearly 1.7 million square metres earmarked for commercial sale. The proceeds from these developments will accrue directly to the Adani Group through open market sales.

The Opposition has alleged that tender processes for Dharavi, Bandra Reclamation and Motilal Nagar were manipulated to favour the Adani Group. They claim insufficient clarity has been provided on rehabilitation plans for Dharavi residents, leading to widespread dissatisfaction—concerns that are now being echoed in Motilal Nagar. The experience in Dharavi has eroded public trust in similar projects, both among residents and political opponents.

Residents of Motilal Nagar have also demanded greater transparency, but say clear responses are yet to be provided. Critics argue that the government is prioritising corporate interests over the welfare of Mumbai’s citizens in these developments.

Beyond these three projects, the state government has identified five additional MHADA-led redevelopment schemes that have attracted strong interest from the real estate sector.

These include Pahadi Goregaon (140 acres), Kamathipura (34 acres), GTB Nagar (74 acres), Abhyudaya Nagar (26 acres), as well as cluster developments in Charkop and Gorai covering around 200 acres. Tendering and approval processes for these projects are currently under way.