A ray of hope for slum dwellers ?

In a ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate 3,024 freshly built EWS flats in Kalkaji, Delhi that were erected for rehabilitating slum dwellers as part of the “In-Situ Slum Rehabilitation” Project and hand over keys to qualified beneficiaries at Bhoomiheen Camp.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is doing in-situ slum rehabilitation in 376 jhuggi jhopri clusters in accordance with the Prime Minister’s objective to provide housing for everybody, according to the statement. The goal of the rehabilitation project is to give the clusters’ residents a better, healthier living environment complete with the necessary amenities and facilities.

Following the publication of a tender inquiry in 2008, Raheja Developers received the contract for DDA’s first in-situ slum rehabilitation project, Kathputli Colony, in August 2009. As part of the rehabilitation plan, 2,800 flats in 14-story towers would be made available to slum dwellers who had lived there for almost 40 years.

“Under Phase I, 3024 EWS apartments have been built on the site of an abandoned commercial centre close by. Bhoomiheen Camp’s eligible households will be relocated to the newly built EWS flats in order to free up the Jhuggi Jhopri site there. After Bhoomiheen Camp has left, Phase II would use the abandoned location to renovate Navjeevan Camp and Jawahar Camp, the PMO noted.

3024 apartments that were part of Phase I of the project are now ready for occupancy. These apartments were built for around Rs. 345 crores and come complete with all public utilities, including vitrified floor tiles, ceramic tiles, an Udaipur green marble counter in the kitchen, etc.

There are also public amenities such underground reservoirs for hygienic water supply, community parks, electric sub-stations, sewage treatment plants, dual water pipelines, lifts, etc. The distribution of units will provide the residents a sense of security and ownership title.