Delhi Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood said on Thursday that the government is expediting the repair, expansion and allotment of more than 7,400 Economically Weaker Section (EWS) flats at Bhalswa to provide dignified housing to poor families and residents of nearby slum clusters, in line with the Centre’s housing vision.
During a visit to the Bhalswa EWS housing project, Sood inspected the ongoing repair and expansion work and reviewed the quality of construction. The project is part of the Delhi government’s drive to upgrade older, pre-built EWS flats by expanding their carpet area and bringing them closer to the standards of homes constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (PMAY).
The minister said the initiative was aimed at fulfilling “Modi Ki Guarantee” by ensuring better housing for economically weaker families. “Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, the size limits for these homes have been increased. To ensure the best utilisation of taxpayers’ money, we are extending the existing structures by at least four to five square metres,” Sood said.
“Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, the houses are being expanded to match those under the PMAY. For this, we discussed making some alterations to these older, pre-built houses… we will very quickly fulfil the Prime Minister’s guarantee,” he added.
Sood further said that his inspection focused on ensuring that the redesigned rooms and new flooring provide adequate space for families to live comfortably.
The Urban Development Minister had first inspected the project in February this year, when he directed officials to increase the carpet area of the flats to provide more dignified living conditions for EWS beneficiaries.
Highlighting the scale of the project, Sood said it covers more than 7,400 housing units. Referring to delays in the project, the minister alleged that procedural hurdles and inaction by the previous government had stalled progress. “The era of shifting blame is over. The current government will execute the allotment process systematically in phases,” he said.
Sood also announced that a final joint inspection of the project would be carried out with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. Based on the Chief Minister’s feedback, the government would seek final guidance from Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior leaders before proceeding with phased allotments.
The Delhi government has said the upgraded EWS housing project is intended to provide improved and dignified living conditions for slum dwellers while making optimum use of existing housing infrastructure.