Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood inspected economically weaker sections (EWS) flats in Sultanpuri, north-west Delhi, on Saturday to assess their condition and suitability for allotment to slum dwellers. Gupta announced a plan to renovate 50,000 dilapidated EWS flats built over the past decades and allocate them to slum residents as part of a wider urban renewal initiative.

The inspection followed Gupta’s directive to government departments, the Indian Railways, and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), ordering that no slum be demolished without prior rehabilitation. She stressed that any unavoidable clearance would be preceded by planned resettlement.

“These flats, left unoccupied since 2011 despite an expenditure of billions of rupees, reflect the negligence of previous administrations. Inspired by the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, our government will now renovate 50,000 such flats, ensuring access to electricity, water, sanitation, and green spaces. Our aim is to provide slum dwellers with a safe and dignified life,” Gupta said.

In Sultanpuri alone, 1,060 flats in an F+4 configuration were completed in 2016 at Site No. A-3 near C-Block. The development spans 27,720 square metres with each unit covering 25 square metres. The approved project cost was Rs 528.1 million, which rose to Rs 678.4 million, increasing the per-unit cost from Rs 498,000 to Rs 640,000. Actual expenditure amounted to Rs 638.3 million.

Gupta added that similar conditions exist across another 50,000 flats in Delhi’s outskirts, many in a state of decay. “Treating this as a matter of basic rights, the Delhi government, with backing from the Centre, which has sanctioned approximately Rs 7.32 billion, is fully committed to making these units livable.”

The government is also developing a strategy to address Delhi’s broader housing need, aiming to meet a projected demand for 1 million homes. In the immediate term, repairs will begin on flats still salvageable, while those beyond repair will be reconstructed.

Minister Sood criticised past neglect, stating, “These DUSIB flats stood abandoned while lakhs lived in squalor. Our government is ensuring basic amenities like water, electricity, sewerage, sanitation, parks, and safety.”

Under Delhi’s slum relocation policy, eligible residents will be resettled on-site or within a 5km radius of their original homes.