03-08-2025
CM unveils plan to relocate slum dwellers to 50K unused flats
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.
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 has also instructed various government departments not to demolish slums unless residents are first provided with alternative housing.
'This is the first government which is working in a direction to provide homes to every slum dweller,' she said while addressing students and faculty at the 39th Foundation and Orientation Day of Delhi University's Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies.
Gupta also announced the addition of 500 new seats at the college, aimed at expanding access to quality higher education.
Congratulating the incoming batch, Gupta said, 'I couldn't come to Sukhdev College earlier because only students with 98 per cent, 100 per cent marks could come here. I had to become chief minister to come to this college.'
