Upper-floor residents need ground-floor certification for eligibility
2 min readMay 3, 2026 10:03 PM IST
The Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) has stated that upper-floor residents submitting affidavits to establish eligibility for affordable rental housing will require certification from ground-floor occupants, and such claims will be valid only if the underlying ground-floor unit itself qualifies under the scheme.
The clarification comes as a large number of upper-floor residents have opted to submit affidavits —considered the lowest-priority document—to establish eligibility for Affordable Rental Housing Units (ARHU) outside the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
Under the scheme, residents who have lived in Dharavi between 2011 and November 2022 are eligible for around 300 sq ft rental units on a hire-purchase model, with payments spread over 25 years or made upfront before ownership is transferred.
Officials said that while affidavits are among the accepted documents under a Government Resolution dated October 4, 2024, such claims must be certified by the ground-floor resident. Moreover, the affidavit will be considered valid only if the ground-floor dwelling meets eligibility criteria under the DRP.
Authorities also clarified that in cases where multiple families claim eligibility for a subdivided upper-floor structure, affidavits alone will not suffice. Applicants will need to submit higher-priority documents such as electricity bills or address proof.
Officials indicated that the clarification was issued after instances of misuse of eligibility provisions were observed. They reiterated that upper-floor residents are eligible only under the rental housing scheme and not for free rehabilitation housing.
