For nearly four lakh families living in Delhi’s Jhuggi Jhopdi (JJ) clusters, a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday may mark the beginning of a long-promised transition from informal settlements to formal housing.
At a review meeting on slum rehabilitation in the national capital, Shah directed the authorities concerned to fast-track redevelopment and rehabilitation projects, while announcing that the Delhi Slum and JJ Cluster Rehabilitation and Relocation Policy, 2026, has been finalised and should be notified by the Delhi Government at the earliest.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders from both the Centre and the Delhi Government, including Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood and other top officials.
Shah instructed the Delhi Development Authority and the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board to issue tenders for the redevelopment of five JJ clusters within the next 45 days. He also directed officials to prepare project documents and tender forms for another 50 JJ clusters, indicating that the rehabilitation exercise is set to move beyond policy announcements and into execution.
The Home Minister laid particular emphasis on the pace of implementation. He said the Delhi Government should float tenders for at least five public private partnership-based rehabilitation projects every month. The direction seeks to create a steady pipeline of redevelopment work as the authorities attempt to address housing needs across multiple settlements simultaneously.
Beyond housing units, Shah underlined the need to create liveable rehabilitation colonies. He said new settlements must include essential community infrastructure such as Anganwadi centres, educational institutions, health facilities and playgrounds so that families moving into rehabilitated housing have access to basic social services and public spaces.
According to Shah, the decisions taken at the meeting are expected to benefit nearly four lakh families residing in Delhi’s JJ clusters. He said January 1, 2025 should be fixed as the eligibility cut-off date for beneficiaries under the rehabilitation programme.
Describing the initiative as part of a broader commitment towards vulnerable sections of society, Shah said, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government remains committed to the principles of Antyodaya and Garib Kalyan, with a focus on improving housing and living standards for vulnerable urban communities”.
