Centre's housing initiatives will benefit middle class, slum dwellers: Puri

The middle class, slum dwellers and the poor in Delhi will benefit from the BJP-ruled Centre's various initiatives related to housing such as increase (FAR) and regularisation of unauthorised colonies

The middle class, slum dwellers and the poor in Delhi will benefit from the BJP-ruled Centre's various initiatives related to housing such as increase in floor area ratio (FAR) and regularisation of unauthorised colonies, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Wednesday.

Ahead of the December 4 election to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Puri addressed a press conference along with party MPs from the national capital.

He said a total of 1.35 crore residents of Delhi will benefit from the government's various redevelopment initiatives -- 50 lakh people through regularisation of unauthorised colonies under the Pradhan Mantri Unauthorised Colonies in Delhi Awas Adhikar Yojana (PM-UDAY), 75 lakh through the land pooling exercise in rural areas and 10 lakh people through the 'Jahan Jhuggi Wahin Makan' scheme.

The Delhi BJP, in its manifesto for the MCD polls, has promised to work with the Centre to provide economically weaker sections (EWS) flats to all slum dwellers in the city.

Puri said that the provision of regeneration in the Draft Master Plan of Delhi 2041 will help the residents of group housing and DDA colonies to redevelop their old buildings with enhanced floor area ratio (FAR) as provided in the draft plan.

The FAR -- the ratio of a building's total floor area to the size of the land -- was 133 when group housing colonies like those in Hauz Khas, Shekh Sarai, Malviya Nagar, Munirka, Rajinder Nagar were developed by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in 1970s. It was later enhanced to 166 in 2001 and 200 in 2021 MPD.

Under the draft MPD 2041, regeneration FAR (after demolishing and rebuilding) is envisaged, ranging from 260 to 340 depending on the plot size, larger the plot size higher the FAR, according to a statement.

"The provision of regeneration has been incorporated in the Draft MPD 2041 to help the people of Delhi to redevelop and reconstruct their old dilapidated structures with provision of enhanced FAR, and increase dwelling unit size, number of dwelling units and meet other needs," the minister said.

He said the Centre will seek amendment in the Delhi Development Act, 1957, in the coming session of Parliament to speed up land pooling policy implementation in the national capital.

Puri said the Centre will also initiate work for the redevelopment of 299 slum clusters under the Delhi government if it fails to do so.

There are 675 slum clusters in Delhi, out of which 376 are on DDA and central government land. Out of the 376 clusters, a survey has been completed with applications taken under 'Jahan Jhuggi Wahin Makan' scheme from residents of 210 clusters while a survey in the remaining 166 will be conducted by March 2023, he said.

There are 299 slum clusters under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) where no survey has been done, he said.

The minister said under PMUDAY, 16,626 conveyance deeds have been issued to the residents of unauthorised colonies. The government has notified the development control norms of unauthorised colonies providing incentives to the residents of these colonies to redevelop and have proper access, facilities and a better quality of life, it said.

The move will benefit around 50 lakh residents of unauthorised colonies, he said.

He said under the land pooling policy implemented in 2019, a total of 7,100 applications have been received so far and 7,400 hectares of land have been pooled.