Delhi Increases ₹629cr Infrastructure Fund for Colonies
Delhi has raised its budgetary allocation for basic infrastructure in unauthorised colonies to ₹629 crore for the current financial year, a 25 per cent enhancement over the originally proposed figure, officials confirmed this week.
The move aims to address long-standing service gaps in areas that house nearly 40-45 lakh residents and have historically lagged in access to essential civic amenities such as roads, drainage and water supply. Unauthorised colonies — settlements developed without statutory planning approval — have been a persistent challenge for urban governance in the capital, owing to their dense populations, irregular street patterns and fragmented utility networks. These areas often lack formal development plans and comprehensive infrastructure, contributing to poor living conditions and limited service delivery. The increased fund allocation reflects an effort by city administrators to reduce those disparities and integrate these neighbourhoods more closely into the city’s broader infrastructure framework.
The additional ₹129 crore brought the total for this effort to ₹629 crore, up from the earlier ₹500 crore provision. This funding boost will support an array of projects across more than 1,700 identified unauthorised colonies, spanning improvements to paved roads, street lighting, sewage systems, drainage networks and potable water connections. These interventions are being overseen by the city’s Irrigation and Flood Control Department and the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC), with officials noting that early work has already completed 47 projects in 43 colonies. Urban planners and equitable growth advocates say that retrofitting critical infrastructure in unauthorised settlements is essential to reduce service gaps and build more inclusive city systems. “Bridging infrastructure deficits in these colonies not only improves quality of life but also strengthens overall urban resilience,” said a metropolitan planning expert. “Better roads and drainage reduce risks of seasonal flooding, enhanced water supply supports health outcomes, and street lighting improves safety — all of which are foundational to sustainable, people-first urbanisation.”
However, delivering infrastructure in unauthorised colonies is technically and socially complex. These areas often feature narrow lanes, irregular plots and mixed land uses, making conventional construction methods difficult without careful planning and community engagement. Moreover, ensuring that upgrades align with broader city systems — such as sewer networks, stormwater drains and electricity grids — requires coordinated engineering assessments and phased execution to minimise disruption to residents. The expansion of funding follows prior investments in related civic upgrades across the city, including road redevelopment plans and sewer-treatment expansions, underscoring a broader push to modernise Delhi’s urban infrastructure. Recent city initiatives have also encompassed large-scale water and sewer system projects and multi-crore road improvement drives aimed at cutting pollution and strengthening network resilience.
For residents of unauthorised colonies, enhanced infrastructure could translate into better access to everyday services and more equitable integration into the city’s economic fabric. The success of these efforts will depend not only on the sufficiency of allocated funds but also on effective execution, community planning inputs and ongoing maintenance commitments. As Delhi continues to address long-standing urban deficits, the increased allocation signals a renewed emphasis on inclusive, neighbourhood-level infrastructure that supports both human wellbeing and the city’s sustainability goals.
