Delhi CCM Rekha Gupta announced that the 7,400 long-vacant Economically Weaker Section (EWS) flats in Bhalswa, north-west Delhi, will soon be allotted to eligible slum-dwelling families. She termed the years-long delay a “grave injustice” to poor families.

CM Rekha Gupta Inspects Vacant Flats and Orders Fast-Track Allotment

CM Rekha Gupta inspected the flats, which have remained unoccupied since 2016, and directed officials to expedite all pending work for immediate handover. These flats are part of a larger project of 52,584 units built under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) by the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC).

The units were handed over to the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) in 2016 for allotment under the Delhi Slum Rehabilitation and Relocation Policy 2015, later renamed the Mukhyamantri Awaas Yojana (2019).

The CM Rekha Gupta also revealed plans to redevelop the Bhalswa complex into a modern residential hub featuring commercial zones, e-rickshaw charging points, parking facilities, healthcare centers, anganwadi facilities, and landscaped parks. “We are turning a long-standing dream into reality for lakhs of poor families, and it will be fulfilled during our tenure,” she said.

also read: Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Inspects EWS Flats, Says Previous…

She criticized previous governments for leaving the flats idle for nearly a decade, saying, “Thousands of families could have been living with dignity, but instead, these flats deteriorated, and materials were stolen.”

Prolonged Delays in Allotment

In 2019, DUSIB conducted surveys of slum clusters within a 5-km radius and identified 18,000 eligible families. All were issued allotment letters and asked to pay ₹1,12,000 plus ₹30,000 as a one-time maintenance charge. For SC/ST families, only the maintenance fee was required, with the flat cost reduced to ₹1,000.

However, surveys on central government and DDA land were paused after the DDA requested a halt. According to a former DUSIB member, rehabilitation stalled because the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) insisted on signing an MoU between the Centre and Delhi government. The Centre also proposed using the flats under the Affordable Rental Housing Complex (ARHC) scheme (2020), which caused further delays.

Approximately 10,000 beneficiaries paid the required fees but never received allotments. The flats suffered theft and structural damage, prompting DUSIB to carry out repairs and deploy security. With the current government’s renewed efforts, families are now expected to finally receive the promised homes.