DDA’s slum rehab policy to be in line with PM’s vision

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is all set to come up with a new Slum Rehabilitation Policy to implement the poll promise — Jahan Jhuggi, Wahin Makan, made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Delhi elections. The plan albeit may invite controversies, given, it seeks the involvement of private developers in the project.

As per the proposed policy, which is based on Slum Rehabilitation Policy of Mumbai, the slums would be developed up on the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. The private developer would provide Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category flats to all eligible slum-dwellers in the multi-storeyed buildings “free of cost” while retaining the remaining portion of the project to be developed into commercial and residential units that would be sold at market price. “The developer will proceed only when there is consent from 70 per cent or more slum-dwellers. He will also need to get a cooperative society of slum-dwellers registered through a resolution. The society will have an elected body for the collection of shared money, documents, etc,” said Balvinder Kumar, Vice-Chairman of DDA.

“It will take three to four months to finalise the policy,” he added. The private developers will have to provide transit accommodations to slum-dwellers till they are handed over possession of the new flats.

After addressing suggestions and objections of the general public, experts, green activists, RWAs, etc, the final draft would be put up for approval in the board meeting of the DDA. Consequently, the approved policy will be sent to the Union Ministry for Urban Development for notification.

“The clause of consent has been added to avoid hurdles in the redevelopment plan of the slums, which proved to be a major problem during the restoration of Kathputali Colony as per existing policy,” added Kumar. As per the proposed policy, the DDA will conduct a detailed survey of the slums and identify eligible slum-dwellers as per guidelines issued by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB).

The DDA will identify the private developer for the slum over three categories – upto 1,000 shanties; 1,000-2,000 and more than 2,000 shanties. The private developer will have to deposit 25 per cent value of the open land as per the circle rate before starting the project. As per the policy, the beneficiaries can’t sell the flats for 10 years. In Delhi, there are 291 slums on DDA land.