Delhi to start slum rehab policy from Sangam Park

About 2,000 families living in north Delhi’s Sangam Park will be the first to be rehabilitated under Delhi government’s slum-free plan. The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) has submitted the plan to the North Delhi Municipal Corporation for approval.

About 2,000 families living in north Delhi’s Sangam Park will be the first to be rehabilitated under Delhi government’s slum-free plan. The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) has submitted the plan to the North Delhi Municipal Corporation for approval.

About 2,000 families living in north Delhi’s Sangam Park will be the first to be rehabilitated under Delhi government’s slum-free plan. The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) has submitted the plan to the North Delhi Municipal Corporation for approval. (Hindustan Times)

“We need to submit the design to the MCD which we have already done. After the approval, we will float the tender. A private company will be asked to develop the land while we will rehabilitate the slum dwellers. We are hoping that by February next year, we will start the rehabilitation process,” said a DUSIB official.

There is just one slum cluster in Sangam Park near Ashok Vihar housing about 2,000 families. As per the initial survey, 4,034 square metre area can be sold post rehabilitation.

DUSIB has 2,040 houses for Economic Weaker Section (EWS). After Sangam Park, DUSIB identified 20 slum clusters in Tagore Garden and Sultanpuri for the ‘pilot project’.

The Delhi government aims to earn over `900 crore by clearing land at the three locations. It needs `480 crore for the rehabilitation of slums in the three areas.

“20 slum clusters with 4,800 shanties will be rehabilitated in the first phase. We have about 2,000 flats ready in Dwarka and Sultanpuri and the new ones will be built to accommodate the others. To finance these projects, we will sell land,” an official said.

Delhi government might be facing shortage of land but in order to create houses for slum dewellers, the government is planning to sell off land. In their in-situ rehabilitation policy, the Delhi government has proposed to use only 60% of the land to build houses and sell off the rest.

Of the three lakh slums in Delhi, only 40% are on Delhi government land while the rest is on land belonging to different agencies. According to officials, there are around 70,000 jhuggis on Delhi government land and 57,000 houses are ready in outer Delhi to rehabilitate them. As per DUSIB’s plan about 500 acre of encroached land could be used for development.

Other two locations:

Location: Tagore garden

Number of slum clusters: 4

9600 square metre area can be sold post rehabilitation.

Location: Sultanpuri

Number of slum clusters: 15

12752 square metre area can be sold post rehabilitation