According to officials, the concessionaire has applied to obtain the fire safety NoC as well as other approvals required to start the allotments of the 1,400 EWS flats.
In a significant development, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has said that almost 50 per cent of a total of 2,800 flats in the national capital’s Kathputli Colony are ready and will subsequently be handed over to the allottees in this financial year. Notably, the Kathputli Colony is in-situ rehabilitation initiative in the city.
According to officials, the concessionaire has applied to obtain the fire safety NoC as well as other approvals required to start the allotments of the 1,400 EWS flats.
A Times of India report quotes a DDA official as saying, “The fire department has pointed out a few deficiencies, which the builder is addressing. Work on securing utility connections and permissions are on. Once the clearances come, the flats will be allotted through a draw of lots. The identification of eligible beneficiaries has already been done.”
ML Khattar, Union minister of housing and urban affairs, undertook the review of the project’s progress in August, directing officials to resolve all pending issues that involve the builder, DDA and the ministry.
ToI quotes Rajiv Babbar, a DDA member and BJP functionary, as saying, “The residential blocks are largely ready. Work is on for facilities such as the fire exits, community hall, and shared areas.”
Started on a 5.2-hectare (12.89-acre) site in west Delhi in 2009 after DDA allotted the land to a developer, the project is being executed under the PPP model. Prior to this, jhuggi dwellers had encroached on the land for around 50 years. Along with them, wood carvers, weavers and craftsmen, puppeteers, musicians, and sculptors, along with their families, resided there.
Initially, there was a plan to construct 2,800 flats in 10-storey towers. The two-year deadline for completing the project has already lapsed. According to officials, the delays were caused by cases filed by residents and NGOs.
