Skid row no more an urban dystopia

Having faced several hurdles in redevelopment of slums, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has decided to roll out an exclusive Slum Rehabilitation Policy for the national Capital. The policy for the same shall be out in public domain soon and will be on similar lines of Mumbai's Slum Rehabilitation Policy, wherein the willingness of 70 per cent of the slum dwellers will be of prime importance for taking a project in the targeted area.

The DDA, so far, has attempted different models of slum rehabilitation like In-situ rehabilitation or providing alternate accommodation. In order to make a set policy or guidelines for slum rehabilitation in the future, the authority has decided to come up with this policy. Under this, the first step would be a survey of the identified slum cluster which will be carried out by the DDA. 

"With this survey, the cut-off date for eligibility for rehabilitation will also be decided by the DUSIB which at present is June, 2009. The survey shall record the number of slum dwellers, types of encroachment viz., industrial, commercial, residential and so on," said a DDA official, adding that the consent of the dwellers will be taken during the survey.

After the survey, the DDA will identify the developers depending upon the size of the cluster to be rehabilitated which may be 1,000 jhuggis or between 1,000 to 2,000 or even more than 2,000, reads the draft policy. The developers will proceed only after getting consent from 70 per cent or more dwellers and get a cooperative society of slum dwellers registered through a resolution. The society will have an elected body for collection of share money, documents and so on. 

"The accommodation will be constructed as per the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) guidelines and shall be provided free of cost to the slum dwellers. Provision for joining late by three weeks after site is given for development for non-willing dwellers has also been provided. Further joining late may only result in losing the right to transit the accommodation," said the official.

Besides, the developer will be given free sale component of land as an incentive for taking up the project which he/she will sell in the open market. "DDA will give land on payment of 25 per cent of value of open land based on circle rates of the area and lease to society of occupiers and society of purchasers of free sale component. Slums on land required for essential  infrastructure such as airport, roads, flyovers etc. or sites not feasible for construction such as near water-bodies will not be covered under this policy for their alternative policies will be worked out," said the housing authority.

The units under this scheme cannot be sold, assigned etc. or leased for a period of 10 years. During period of construction developer will provide transit accommodation.