Delhi government will soon develop a comprehensive strategy to meet the demand for 10 lakh houses for the poor in the capital, chief minister Rekha Gupta said on Saturday during her visit to Sultanpuri to review the current condition, maintenance, and potential for resettlement in flats constructed by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board.
Gupta stated that her government was committed to ensuring dignified housing and a better life for slum dwellers. In the first phase of this initiative, resettlement will begin through 50,000 flats built by various agencies for economically weaker sections. “Delhi government is also preparing a comprehensive strategy to meet the demand for one million houses. These efforts are fully aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve of providing ‘housing for every poor’,” Gupta said.
The chief minister was accompanied by MP Yogendra Chandolia, minister Ashish Sood, and senior officials from all relevant departments during her visit to Sultanpuri. She highlighted that these flats, originally constructed in 2016 for slum rehabilitation with government expenditure running into crores of rupees, remained unallocated due to the alleged apathy and lack of intent of previous administrations. Gupta added that a similar situation existed with another 50,000 flats built in Delhi’s outer areas, many of which deteriorated so severely that substantial funds will be required to make them habitable. She said her government would be utilising approximately ₹732 crore allocated by the Centre to repair thousands of these flats.The chief minister announced on Friday that no slum would be demolished in the capital unless alternative arrangements were made for the housing of the dwellers. “No one will be forced to live under the open sky, shiver in the cold, or struggle for basic sanitation,” she said.
Sood also mentioned that the flats in Sultanpuri long stood as a symbol of neglect and political apathy.
