Curation Team
NEW DELHI: Asserting no slum dwellers will be harassed anymore in Delhi, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday said her government, if required, will amend the existing policy and even approach the court to protect their housing rights.
The chief minister asked all government departments as well as the Indian Railways and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to refrain from demolishing jhuggi-jhopri (JJ) clusters in the city.
The policy on slum clusters could be amended if required to protect the rights of the slum dwellers, she said in a statement.
Gupta said the government will renovate 50,000 dilapidated houses built years ago under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM)scheme, and allot them to slum dwellers.
These flats will now be handed over to slum dwellers under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban (PMAY-U), she added.
Gupta made major decisions concerning the slum clusters of the capital and instructed all government departments, Railways and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to ensure that no slum in Delhi is demolished, said the statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office.
“In cases where removal becomes unavoidable due to development projects or other reasons, alternative housing must be provided in advance,” she said.
Gupta said, if required, the government will amend the existing policy on slum clusters and will even approach the court to protect the housing rights of slum dwellers.
The slums in Delhi are an inseparable part of the city, with people living there for decades, she added.
The chief minister’s remarks come as the BJP government led by her faced criticism from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress over recent demolitions of some slum clusters, including Madarsi camp near Barapullah drain in South Delhi.
She criticised the Opposition for using slum dwellers as “vote bank” and said her government is making sincere efforts to ensure their rightful recognition as the residents of Delhi.
Gupta said regular meetings are being held with various departments and strong decisions are being taken to provide permanent settlement to slum dwellers.
The Delhi government has made it clear that no slum will be removed in the capital, she added in the statement.
The chief minister said that directives have accordingly been issued to all concerned departments, including the Railways and DDA, to ensure that no slum is demolished.
There are 675 slum clusters in Delhi consisting of over three lakh dwellings. Around 50 per cent of these slums are located on the DDA’s land, 23 per cent on government or private land and 22 per cent on the land owned by agencies such as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, said the statement.
South-East Delhi accounts for the highest number of 144 slum clusters followed by 109 in North Delhi, 92 in Central Delhi, 68 in West Delhi, 54 in Shahdara, 49 in New Delhi, 46 in South-West Delhi, 43 in East Delhi, 34 in North-West Delhi, 30 in South Delhi, 30 and six in North-East Delhi, it added.
