Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Unveils Plan To Relocate Slum Dwellers To 50,000 Unused Flats
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta criticised previous Delhi governments for failing to allot the 50,000 flats constructed over the years, leading to their current dilapidated condition.
Published : August 2, 2025 at 11:07 AM IST
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday said her government has prepared a plan to relocate slum dwellers to 50,000 flats constructed years ago but never allotted to anyone. She inspected government flats built for economically weaker sections in Sultanpuri, North West Delhi, around 2011.
"We have planned to relocate slum dwellers within a two-kilometre periphery of thousands of such old flats after properly repairing them and providing all the facilities," she told reporters. Gupta criticised previous Delhi governments for failing to allot the 50,000 flats constructed over the years, leading to their current dilapidated condition.
"Neither Congress nor AAP gave these flats to poor people. But now our government will ensure these flats are allotted to slum dwellers after repair. If needed, we will demolish old flats if they cannot be repaired and provide new houses to them," she said.
On Friday, Gupta said that no slums will be demolished in Delhi and asserted that her government would not hesitate to change policy or approach the courts to protect the rights of slum dwellers. She said regular meetings are being held with various departments, and strong decisions are being taken to provide permanent settlement to slum dwellers.
The Delhi government has made it clear that no slum will be removed in the capital, she added in the statement. The chief minister said that directives have accordingly been issued to all concerned departments, including the Railways and DDA, to ensure that no slum is demolished.
There are 675 slum clusters in Delhi consisting of over three lakh dwellings. Around 50 per cent of these slums are located on the DDA's land, 23 per cent on government or private land and 22 per cent on the land owned by agencies such as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, said the statement.
South-East Delhi accounts for the highest number of 144 slum clusters followed by 109 in North Delhi, 92 in Central Delhi, 68 in West Delhi, 54 in Shahdara, 49 in New Delhi, 46 in South-West Delhi, 43 in East Delhi, 34 in North-West Delhi, 30 in South Delhi, 30 and six in North-East Delhi, it added.
(With PTI Inputs)
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