Repairs to be Carried Out by Delhi Government in Vacant EWS Flats

NEW DELHI: Three months after an empty and dilapidated EWS apartment block collapsed in Bawana, the Delhi government has decided to repair it.

First, the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), which is responsible for identifying qualified slum dwellers through the investigation and implementation of the distribution process, will recover approximately 2,000 units in the Dwarka sector 16.

Officials have confirmed that the renovation of all the apartments built under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) will be carried out by various government agencies.

"There is a large inventory of EWS flats that are empty and in need of maintenance. Because these houses need to be occupied, we have decided to start repairs. In the first phase, 2,000 flats were taken over in Dwarka, "said a senior Delhi official.

In light of a few overviews in the last part of the 1990s and mid-2000s, the Delhi government, with liberal monetary help from the Center under JNNURM and RAY, arranged around 55,000-odd EWS pads having one room, kitchen, restroom in Narela, Bawana, Savda Ghewra, Bapraula, Rohini, Dwarka and Jahangirpuri. The thought was to restore more than 4 lakh inhabitants of the north of 650 ghettos.

While around 39,000 pads were constructed and near 4,000 were even allocated, the leftover has been lying empty because of different reasons. The ownership of the pads in Jahangirpuri, Nangloi, Dwarka and Rohini was quickly taken by the recipients, however, there were no takers for houses in Narela, Bawana, Bhalswa and then some.

Strangely, Delhi government, through DUSIB, gathered about Rs 40 crore from the candidates and one more Rs 76 crore from other government offices to restore ghetto tenants having jhuggis on their territory.

When completed, the Delhi government will provide 16,000 units to the region and provide them with immigration under a lease scheme, of which nearly 18,000 will be distributed to Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana.

“In this regard, we will soon sign a memorandum of understanding with the Centre. The building will be relocated after the renovation,” he said.