Mumbai's Dhobi Ghat redevelopment gets court nod
The Bombay High Court has cleared the way for redeveloping Mumbai's iconic Dhobi Ghat, dismissing a petition by petitioners who argued that most workers had not agreed to merge part of their drying area with a slum rehabilitation project.
Out of 730 licensed dhobis, only 264 had reportedly given consent, but the court found no legal grounds to stop the project.
Developer to rebuild and hand over ghat after 5 years
The petitioners were reported to have an agreement to vacate their drying spaces; the petition was filed in December 2025 and the High Court gave its judgment on February 23, 2026, and said using rope-drying spots does not count as tenancy rights.
The developer has said it will rebuild and hand over the ghat; no timeframe is specified in the source, and it has promised alternative options for affected workers.
The larger plan aims to boost housing in Mumbai's packed neighborhoods by merging Dhobi Ghat's space into a slum redevelopment scheme.