Govt reviews project to rehabilitate 78,000 families living in city slums

A government spokesperson said Kejriwal gave strict instructions to the departments concerned to complete the ongoing projects within three years at any cost.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday reviewed the progress of the much-delayed “Jahan Jhuggi Wahan Makaan” project, under which the government plans to provide in-situ rehabilitation for 78,000 families living in JJ clusters, and set another three-year deadline to complete the first phase of the project which is expected benefit 16,000 families.

The Delhi government first announced the in-situe slum rehabilitation policy in 2015. (PTI Photo)

“These families will be given houses at the same site where they have their slums. Till the time the pucca houses are constructed, these families will be temporarily shifted to Delhi government flats which have already been developed. Special care will be taken to ensure that these temporary flats are also provided near their slums. Once the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) flats get developed, these families will be shifted to them permanently,” the government said in a statement.

A government spokesperson said Kejriwal gave strict instructions to the departments concerned to complete the ongoing projects within three years at any cost. Assembly elections in Delhi are scheduled in 2025.

The Delhi government first announced the in-situe slum rehabilitation policy in 2015.

“The departments will expedite work on providing facilities like electricity, water, sewer connections and ensuring superior road quality so that these families can adopt a good standard of living. Thousands of families have been living in slums in Delhi for years. These families have also taken up employment near their place of residence. Some families work in nearby factories, while some are making ends meet as street vendors and hawkers. Their children study in schools around the area and their day-to-day needs are also available nearby. This is why the government has decided that all the families should be given pucca houses right where they have their slums, so that their daily life is not affected and all the people can live a dignified life,” it said.

Under the project, flats will be developed on the JJ slum land, instead of the previous provision of developing flats inside a five kilometre radius. Kejriwal also directed officers to provide basic facilities to ensure hassle-free rehabilitation.