CM promises to regularise remaining illegal colonies

When chief minister Sheila Dikshit, who also holds the finance portfolio, began to highlight the steps her government took in the past year to develop unauthorised colonies, it became quite evident it would be a major election plank this assembly polls.

When chief minister Sheila Dikshit, who also holds the finance portfolio, began to highlight the steps her government took in the past year to develop unauthorised colonies, it became quite evident it would be a major election plank this assembly polls.

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In her speech, she also announced that the original allottees of land in all the 45 slum resettlement colonies will get ownership rights. “The Centre has accepted our proposal,” said Dikshit.

The Delhi government allocated 14% of the total budget — Rs. 2,300 crore — to urban development and housing.

Dikshit said her government regularised 895 of the 1,218 colonies and allowed sale and purchase of properties there. “We will regularise the remaining colonies too,” she added.

She said her government had spent Rs. 3,000 crore on development works in these colonies such as construction of roads, drains, laying of water pipes, sewerage lines, etc.

Eligibility criteria for allotment of houses to the economically weaker section (EWS) have been revised and the allotment will soon begin, she said, adding the allotment could not begin in August due to faulty guidelines.

“Another project for the construction of 8,420 EWS houses at Tikri Kalan has been approved under JNNURM at a cost of Rs. 465 crore,” she added.