₹44 crore approved for revamp of defunct EWS flats in Delhi

They have been lying vacant for almost a decade and have suffered damages to the structure over the time.

The Delhi urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), in an assessment, has found that an estimate of ₹80 crore will be required to refurbish 12,880 flats for residents of the economically weaker sections (EWS) across the city, senior government officials said. Of the proposed amount, ₹44.24 crore has been approved in the latest DUSIB board meeting.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inspected EWS flats in Bhalswa on Tuesday. (Arvind Yadav/ HT photo)

These EWS flats, built under JNNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission), are located in areas like Sava Ghevra, Sultanpuri, Jahangirpuri and Dwarka. They have been lying vacant for almost a decade and have suffered damages to the structure over the time.

“The board has granted approval to refurbish 2,416 flats in north Delhi’s Savda Ghevra as a one time repair. Around ₹27.49 crore will be spent on making them habitable while another ₹3.15 crore on the electrical work. Around six months have been provided to complete the project so that the government can start handing them over to the eligible residents,” an official explained.

DUSIB will also provide ₹13.6 crore to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) for undertaking sewage treatment plant work in Ghevra.

Further, the agency has undertaken a survey of the 1,060 flats in the five-storey towers in Sultanpuri C-block where repairs worth ₹14.79 crore will be required to make them livable. “The government wants to additionally develop social infrastructure in the form of Arogya Mandir clinics, community halls, schools in the area,” the official added.

DUSIB has found that the three sites in Dwarka Sector 16B will require ₹4.84 crore for 980 flats, ₹7.33 crore for 736 flats, and ₹3.16 crore for 288 flats. Besides, ₹7.88 crore will be needed for development of parks, roads, sewer systems and pathways around 7,400 flats in Jahangirpuri.

Officials explained that the work will be carried out in phases.

The scheme of JNNURM was launched in 2005 by the Government of India, aimed at Urban renewal with a focus on providing affordable housing to the economically weaker sections (EWS) and relocating slum dwellers (JJ dwellers) into newly constructed flats. The scheme formally commenced in 2009-10, with financial assistance from both the Central (CSS) and State (SSS) governments. Between 2008 and 2016, under this initiative, DUSIB constructed 18,084 EWS flats across various locations, including Dwarka, Sultanpuri, SavdaGhevra, and Bhalswa, Jahangirpur.

Despite significant efforts, only 2,122 units have been allotted to JJ dwellers, leaving 15,902 flats vacant and vulnerable to deterioration due to delayed allotment and inadequate maintenance. The risk of unauthorized occupation has further compounded the issue, underscoring the urgency of effective intervention to ensure the intended beneficiaries receive housing.

Over the years, the vacant flats sustained damages and thefts and this had become a major sticking point in Delhi assembly elections.

Last week, chief minister Rekha Gupta inspected the abandoned EWS housing project in Bhalswa and directed officials to expedite the redevelopment and allotment of the 7,400 flats that have remained vacant since their construction in 2016. She said the government aims to ensure that all eligible slum-dwelling families are allotted permanent homes equipped with essential civic facilities. She instructed officials to prepare a time-bound plan for repairs and restoration.

Cabinet minister Ashish Sood had said that the redevelopment initiative will be executed with clearly defined timelines and standardised construction practices. He said the rehabilitation model being adopted for Bhalswa will eventually serve as a template for similar EWS housing complexes located in different parts of the city.