New Delhi, February 16 Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood said on Monday that the Delhi government is committed to providing dignified housing to residents of slums and informal settlements while inspecting EWS flats in Bhalswa.
Sood said that around 7,400 Economically Weaker Section (EWS) flats were constructed at the site, but they are now in a dilapidated condition due to non-allocation over the years.
He said the inspection was carried out to assess the current state of the flats and to initiate necessary repair and reconstruction work.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has remained sensitive to the concerns of families living in slum clusters and has consistently emphasized the need for ensuring a better and dignified life for them, especially children, the minister added.
The flats were built using public funds, and the current government is considering their proper redevelopment and transparent allocation to eligible beneficiaries, Sood said.
He added that the process is currently at a preliminary stage, and technical assessments of the old structures are underway.
Sood also clarified that no slum resident would be displaced, and that under in-situ development or redevelopment plans, eligible families would be provided dignified housing.
Criticizing the previous dispensation, the minister alleged that the flats constructed during the tenure of the Aam Aadmi Party had deteriorated to the extent that they were no longer fit for habitation.
He claimed that the earlier government neither ensured timely allocation nor put in place a proper rehabilitation plan for slum dwellers, leading to the present condition of the flats and the need for substantial expenditure on repairs.
Sood said the focus was not only on providing housing but also on ensuring a safer and more dignified future for the coming generations.