Stuck in transit

Slum dwellers’ wait to move from camps to their dream homes under DDA’s in situ rehabilitation projects takes much longer than they expected

As the Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) in situ slum rehabilitation project at Kathputli Colony drags on, the slum dwellers, who were relocated to the Anand Parbat transit camp, are uncertain if, and when they could get the flats promised to them.

A few individuals living in the makeshift settlement told The Hindu that their eligibility under the rehabilitation initiative “has been cancelled”.

“It has been five years since we had shifted to this transit camp on the assurance that we would be allotted the DDA flats that are being constructed at Kathputli Colony. A couple of weeks ago, we came to know that our eligibility had been cancelled and no concrete reason was given for the decision,” Sangeeta, a resident of the camp, said.

The houses at the colony are meant for people like us, she said, adding, “Where do we go now?”

‘Unhygienic conditions’

Another resident said that the living conditions at the camp are “unhygienic and pathetic” and that there is a looming uncertainty as to “when we will finally get to move to the homes that were promised to us”.

A senior DDA official said the Kathputli Colony project aims to provide 2,800 economically weaker section (EWS) houses and it is being executed on the public-private-partnership model.

While the project was proposed more than a decade ago, construction has been held up for multiple reasons. Apart from the delay in vacating the land and relocating the slum dwellers, the DDA official said the recurring bans on construction due to the increasing pollution levels in the Capital have slowed down the pace of the work.

According to the DDA’s in situ slum rehabilitation policy, which aims to make Delhi “slum-free by 2022 as per the mandate under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U)”, the developers are responsible for providing amenities and ensuring hygienic living conditions at the transit camp.

Implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the objective of PMAY-U is to give proper housing to slum dwellers along with the low, middle-income groups, and EWS “by 2022”.

Not hopeful

While residents of the Anand Parbat transit camp said that a possible move to the DDA flats “seems unlikely this year”, those of the Bhoomiheen camp voiced similar concerns over allotment under the DDA’s EWS housing project at A-14, Kalkaji.

A camp resident said there have been surveys carried out by the DDA and that their eligibility and documents have been verified.

“While we were hopeful of finally moving to EWS houses this year, another survey was conducted a few weeks ago and we were told that a video survey would be held soon. I do not think we are going to the DDA flats this year,” the resident said.

According to the senior DDA official, 3,024 EWS flats at the Kalkaji site are nearing completion. However, he confirmed that neither of the projects will be completed this year.

Construction ban

It is likely that the Kathputli Colony and the Kalkaji projects will be ready by late 2022, though the ban on construction can further add to the delay, the official said. “As to those claiming that their allotment was cancelled, we have found encroachments at the Anand Parbat camp and some are also running businesses which is not allowed.”

Some residents have even rented out their homes at the camps, the official said. “Some have built two floors to accommodate more family members, but they will be allotted only one flat unless the individuals have a separate ration card for the extra floor,” the official said, adding that the Kalkaji project was taken up by the DDA.

He said that the eligible beneficiaries will be allotted flats on the payment of nearly ₹1.1 lakh along with a five-year maintenance charge of ₹30,000.

“The final eligibility survey for the Bhoomiheen camp is complete. Apart from this, 16 projects are being planned. However, a slum-free Delhi by 2022 does not seem to be a possibility,” the DDA official said.

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