Development work in slums to be over by 2020: Govt

NEW DELHI: Work for rehabilitation of slums and providing pipeline connectivity in unauthorised colonies is expected to be complete by the end of 2020, said sources in Delhi government, adding that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has apprised the concerned departments of this deadline.

Since taking over the Water department, development of unauthorised colonies in Delhi has been a thrust area for the Chief Minister.

To this end, sources in Delhi government said that the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has started working on connecting the water lines to unauthorised colonies.

The government has found that many such colonies do not have proper water connections. In some colonies, water is supplied at fixed times, while some others are dependent on tap water.

These problems have become so common that no complaints have been registered by the people.

Kejriwal plans to change the picture and all houses in these colonies with water lines.

Sources, meanwhile, admitted that while the availability of water in these colonies has improved in the last two years, a lot more work is needed to be done.

There are 895 unauthorised colonies in Delhi, most of which face problems of water shortage and sewerage connectivity. The Delhi government has chosen to first work on the sewerage system.

“To reduce slums in Delhi, we are planning to replace these slums with high rise apartments and giving it to slum dwellers at no cost,” said Satyendar Jain, Delhi Minister for Industry, Health and Power.

He added, “Encroachment is also one big issue that plagues Delhi. We are trying are best to remove encroachment from areas under our control.”

He further added “Delhi doesn’t need investments from abroad. We have enough able big business houses in India who can invest in Delhi.”

Recently the Chief Minister – who also serves as chairman of the DJB – gave approval for setting up of seven decentralised sewage treatment plants (DSTP) in the unauthorised colonies of Burari constituency.

Kejriwal has asked the Board to come up with the proposal for these plants at the earliest.