DDA seeks bids for Kalkaji Extn slum drive

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has invited bids for in-situ redevelopment of a second slum cluster in Kalkaji Extension in South Delhi on a public-private partnership basis, even as officials said that it will soon start allotment of flats to the first batch of 3,024 beneficiaries.

In the second phase, the DDA plans to construct 5,382 flats for slum dwellers of two of the three camps in the area.

“The total developable area is seven hectares, of which 6.3 hectares will be used for construction of flats and the remaining will be used by the developer,” said a senior DDA official.

Kalkaji Extension was the first in-situ redevelopment executed by the DDA. Conceived in 2011, former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit laid the foundation stone for the project in October 2013. The plan was to rehabilitate 8,461 families of three slum clusters -- Jawahar Lal Camp, Navjivan Camp and Bhoomiheen Camp -- located in Govindpuri and Kalkaji in a phased manner.

According to the plan, the first phase would see construction of 3,024 flats on a nearby plot, and the remaining flats will be constructed on the vacated land in subsequent phases.

But the project was delayed by over a decade and finally, the DDA approved the plan to start allotment of flats to residents of Bhoomiheen Camp in December last year. DDA officials said that the allotment process will happen in a month or two.

“It will be the responsibility of the developer to provide a transit camp facility to relocate slum residents till the project is complete. We recently got the survey done for the two slum clusters,” said a DDA official.

The developer has been allowed to use 17% of the area for remunerative projects with an overall floor area ratio -- ratio of the total floor area to the size of the land -- of 300. “Developer is free to use this FAR for residential, commercial or PSP use as per the financial viability of the project,” said the tender document.

Meanwhile, residents of Bhoomiheen camp are waiting for allotment of the houses.

Sheikh Mustafa (61), a shop owner in the area, said that the DDA is yet to start the allotment as construction work is still going on. “They have done the survey and are collecting documents from us. But we have not been told about the date when we will be handed over the keys. The construction work at the site is still not complete.”

DDA WILL SOON START ALLOTMENT OF 3,024 FLATS TO BENEFICIARIES, ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS