he Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is going to develop three clusters of jhuggis (slums) in the eastern part of the city as part of its project ‘Jahan Jhuggi Wahin Makan’ (Where There’s a Slum, There’s a Home), according to an official statement. These clusters are Kalandar Colony, Deepak Colony, and Dilshad Vihar Colony, where about 4,000 families live.
This project is the first of its kind in the eastern and northeastern parts of Delhi and the fourth in the whole city, after similar projects in Kalkaji Extension, Jailorwala Bagh, and Kathputli Colony. The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, VK Saxena, has asked officials to finish the project quickly.
The decision was made in a meeting led by the LG, attended by the Vice Chairman and other senior officials of the DDA. This decision came after Saxena visited Kalandar Colony in Shahdara, northeast/east Delhi, on March 5, following a request from local slum dwellers. He saw the poor living conditions of about 30,000 to 35,000 people who lack basic civic facilities.
The responsibility for providing basic facilities and public utilities in the area lies with the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) and the Delhi government, while sanitation is managed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
The in-situ rehabilitation project at Dilshad Garden will cover these three slum clusters, providing modern amenities to people who have been living in very bad conditions. The LG has asked the DDA to submit a detailed plan and budget and to complete the project on time, without any delays.
However, the Delhi government is concerned about the demolition of many clusters and the displacement of over 3 lakh poor residents in the last 1.5 years. They accuse the LG and the Central government of ignoring these homeless people. The government thinks that this Delhi Slum rehabilitation project might be an attempt to improve the LG’s image before the Lok Sabha elections.
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