Work on Kathputli Colony restarted

Work on the Delhi Development Authority’s Kathputli Colony’s in-situ redevelopment has resumed after the government allowed construction work in the city.

Work on the Delhi Development Authority’s Kathputli Colony’s in-situ redevelopment has resumed after the government allowed construction work in the city.

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With over 500 workers available on site, Raheja Developers, the private firm which began the work two years ago, has restarted construction and plans to rope in more workers to expedite the work. The plan is to construct 2,800 flats for residents of Kathputli Colony, who are currently living in a transit camp in Anand Parbat.

The private developer was supposed to complete two residential towers by December last year, but the work was stalled as the Supreme Court had banned construction activity due to a rise in pollution levels in the city.

Navin M Raheja, CMD, Raheja Developers Ltd, said, “We had over 500 workers before the shut down due to Supreme Court orders on pollution. Work has restarted full scale with a motivated workforce following all protocols of safety and distancing. Retaining them is certainly a challenge as everyone wants to be with their family.”

He added, “We are looking at absorbing more manpower from within Delhi and have requested for transfer of skilled workers from shelter camps. We are maintaining the highest standards of safety, hygiene and well-being. “

Work on the structure and finishing have started simultaneously. A senior DDA official said that the new revised deadline for the project is yet to be finalised. “Now that the work has started, we have to see how much of it can be completed by this year,” said the DDA official.

Conceived in 2009, Kathputli Colony is the first in-situ slum redevelopment project in the city. But the project has been mired in controversies and court cases. The construction work finally started in March 2018 and was expected to be completed by 2019.