Haryana govt to build low-cost apartments for slum dwellers

Haryana government has decided to build low-cost flats for those living in slum clusters in the state. Gurugram and Faridabad have been chosen as the first two districts in the state in which this project will be implemented. Government officials said that slum dwellers in these two districts will be identified and flats at affordable prices would be developed and allotted to them. The cost of these centrally located apartments would be worked out in the coming months, said officials on Friday.

The scheme was announced on Thursday by chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who issued directions to officials that a comprehensive scheme should be prepared for the rehabilitation of residents living in urban slums by providing residential flats at affordable prices.

The project, which shall be developed by the department of housing for all will first focus on Gurugram and Faridabad, said the chief minister. The flats to be constructed under the scheme would be given to the slum dwellers at affordable prices which could be paid by them in installments. The government could also arrange loans through banks so as to facilitate payment by beneficiaries, he added.

As per the plan of the state government, the objective is to provide affordable housing facilities to urban slum dwellers. Yashpal Yadav, deputy commissioner, Faridabad, confirmed the development and said that they have already started the process of identifying the slum areas, which can be rehabilitated. “There are around four lakh slum dwellers in Faridabad alone and the plan is to get government lands free from encroachments and build flats on them. The survey for this purpose has already began and a report will be finalised next week. The price of these flats would be very reasonable so that slum dwellers can afford them” said Yadav, who also has the charge of commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Faridabad.

Yadav also said that both in Faridabad and Gurugram, the projects will be developed at centrally located sites within the city and inputs would be taken from slum dwellers. They will be alloted flats with their consent. “Government land in both the cities which is encroached would be cleared and slum dwellers accommodated ,” he said.

In Gurugram, the department of town and country planning(DTCP) and other civic agencies would be conducting the survey to identify the land for prospective projects for slum rehabilitation and development of flats, said officials.

RS Bhath, district town planner, said that sites would be identified for feasibility as per the directions of the government as this project has the potential to clear the slums and provide quality housing. “All efforts would be made to rehabilitate slum dwellers,” he added.

Sanjay Sharma, a city-based real estate consultant, when asked about the feasibility of this plan said that such projects become more successful if the flats are given free of cost to slum dwellers. “The government should take lessons from what happened in Delhi as slum dwellers sold their flats and returned to.slums. The need is to learn from these mistakes,” said Sharma.