Delhi is embarking on a sweeping urban transformation, drawing inspiration from Mumbai’s Dharavi model to rehouse residents from all 675 officially recognised slum clusters across the capital. The ambitious plan aims to offer flats to eligible households in Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) housing projects, mandating the vacating of slums after allotment.
Strategic officials say the policy seeks to usher in a structured, gender‑neutral, sustainable urban renewal across Delhi’s informal settlements. The proposal follows a disturbing incident on 16 June, when over 200 slum dwellings in the Jailorwala Bagh area near Ashok Vihar were demolished despite occupants having been allotted rehabilitation flats. Officials reaffirmed that future demolitions will be part of a phased, dignified rehousing process, ensuring every household trades its makeshift jhuggi for a secure flat before vacating.
Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) records indicate 675 clusters span government‑ and centrally‑owned land—managed by bodies like DDA and railways. Of approximately 3 million slum‑dwellers, a significant portion have been offered ready‑to‑move flats, while thousands remain in jhuggi clusters awaiting relocation or policy resolution. Officials emphasise that the Dharavi model offers a scalable alternative for large-scale, in‑situ redevelopment. Unlike fragmented rehousing, this blueprint involves a clear mandate: once flats are allotted, slum homes must be vacated and dismantled. It also incorporates integrated infrastructure—roads, sanitation, and green spaces—much like Dharavi’s ongoing reimagination .
The plan also seeks to revive 50,000 unutilised EWS flats built in areas such as Bawana and Narela under earlier housing schemes. These flats remained sealed due to rigid eligibility norms and political inertia. Officials now propose relaxing these conditions, fast‑tracking refurbishment under PPP models, and offering them to slum transitioners who meet updated criteria. Policy architects assert this dual strategy—reviving dormant assets plus redeveloping existing clusters—will minimise displacement and deliver equitable housing. The transition will be gender‑neutral, with design standards ensuring safe access for women, children, elderly, and persons with disabilities.
Nevertheless, significant challenges remain. EWS flats require major repairs after years of neglect, and some may need to be retrofitted to match current safety and plumbing standards. Moreover, ensuring full vacating before demolition demands robust stakeholder engagement; officials stress binding agreements and strict linkage between allotment and relinquishment. To streamline funding and accountability, the capital will fold this into a PPP‑based policy framework proposed by a government‑industry task force. This model allows real estate developers to build EWS units alongside graded commercial or residential floor‑area‑ratio balances—similar to the hybrid funding seen in Dharavi and Kathputli projects.
Civil society advocates cautiously welcome the ambition but emphasise the importance of community consultation. Dharavi’s experience underscores the necessity of mixed‑use design, livelihood support, and transparent rehabilitation, not just high‑density flats . Climate‑resilient elements are also central. Initiative planners propose green building techniques, solar panels, rainwater harvesting, and effective sanitation systems to foster sustainable slum-to-city transitions in line with broader zero‑net‑carbon objectives.
The chief minister underscores that the redevelopment will rollout in phases, starting with slums near unsafe zones such as railway lands, water bodies, and flood‑prone areas. She emphasised timely implementation and funding mobilisation as key to avoid repeating the failures of stalled past schemes. As Delhi steps into policy overdrive, urban planners will watch closely: can a city-wide Dharavi‑inspired redevelopment succeed in balancing scale, sustainability, equity, and restart time? Its success could recast how Indian metropolises rehouse informal settlements—moving from displacement to dignified, green-first urban renewal.
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