New Delhi, Aug 1 (IANS) Ordering to stop slum demolitions without rehabilitation, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday stated that no poor person will be rendered homeless as the government plans to renovate 50,000 unoccupied flats and allot them to eligible slum dwellers.

“Our government’s priority is to ensure that every eligible family gets a secure roof over their head and an opportunity to be rehabilitated within their own area. This is not just about providing housing; it is a mission to restore dignity to their lives,” she said.

The CM said she has directed the Railways, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), and all government departments to ensure that no slum in Delhi is demolished.

In cases where removal becomes unavoidable due to development projects or other reasons, alternative housing must be provided in advance, she said.

The Chief Minister further stated that approximately 50,000 houses constructed years ago in the outer areas of the city will be renovated and allocated to slum dwellers.

She said, if required, the government will amend the existing policy on slum clusters and approach the court to protect the housing rights of slum dwellers.

CM Gupta emphasised that the pain of slum dwellers will not be ignored under any circumstances.

She criticised the Opposition for using slum dwellers as a political vote bank, asserting that her government is making sincere efforts to ensure their rightful recognition as residents of Delhi.

Pointing to the 50,000 dilapidated and vacant flats which were constructed a few years ago under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), she said the previous Delhi governments never allocated these flats to slum dwellers, rendering them uninhabitable over time.

CM Gupta added that continuous meetings are being held with various departments, and strong decisions are being taken to provide permanent settlement to slum dwellers.

At present, there are a total of 675 slum clusters in Delhi. These settlements comprise approximately 3.06 lakh (306,000) slum dwellings.

Spread over a total area of 804.5 hectares, about 50 per cent of these slums are located on DDA land.

Around 23 per cent are on government/public sector or private land, while 22 per cent are on land owned by agencies such as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and DUSIB.

Delhi has a total of 675 slum clusters distributed across various districts. South-East Delhi accounts for the highest number with 144 clusters, followed by North Delhi with 109, Central Delhi with 92, and West Delhi with 68. Shahdara has 54 clusters, New Delhi 49, South-West Delhi 46, and East Delhi 43. North-West Delhi houses 34 clusters, South Delhi 30 and North-East Delhi has six clusters.

–IANS

rch/uk