Hardeep Singh Puri says in Rajya Sabha that 300 ‘jhuggi’ clusters have been surveyed out of 300 in Delhi
According to Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Development, of the more than 300 “jhuggi” clusters in Delhi, 210 have been surveyed by the Central Government.
As a response to questions raised by RJD member Manoj Jha, the minister said that ‘jhuggi jhopdi bastis’ that had been built before January 1, 2006, could not be removed without providing alternative housing. The demolition of individual ‘jhuggis’ that have been constructed before 2015 is also prohibited without the provision of alternative housing. It must be noted, however, that any ‘jhuggi’ that has been built after 2015 will be immediately removed without providing alternative accommodation.
The Delhi government has announced three policies – the first is that satellite maps will be procured every three months for monitoring new constructions… It is willing to conduct joint inspections with landowners at regular intervals, and any new ‘jhuggis’ will be immediately removed from the area; as well, it will enlist volunteers from the ‘jhuggi jhopdi bastis’, who are responsible for informing the government when new ‘jhuggis’ occur.
Puri informed the Rajya Sabha that the seven government colonies proposed for redevelopment cover an area of 536 acres and that 507 ‘jhuggi’ households have been identified, both eligible and non-eligible.
