More than Rs 1,000 cr sanctioned for devp work in unauthorised colonies
NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday announced that the Delhi government has approved and sanctioned the Budget for construction of roads and drains in unauthorised colonies acroos the city, except those falling in Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) jurisdiction and forest areas.
The total budget to be spent on the development work in these pending areas would be around Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 crore.
According to latest data provided by the Delhi Urban Development Department, there are 1,797 unauthorised colonies in the city, and except for those colonies which are on ASI or forest land, developmental works will be immediately taken up in all others.
"Good news for those living in hellish conditions in unauth colonies. Del govt has approved and sanctioned budget for construction of roads n drains in all pending colonies (barring ASI/forest areas). Work will start soon. This will provide them dignity n better living conditions," Kejriwal tweeted on Thursday.
Accusing his predecessors of neglecting work in unauthorised colonies in a follow-up tweet, he said, "For last several decades, people have been living in hellish conditions in these areas in the capital city of India. Successive BJP/Cong govts did nothing. Now, lumpsum funds have been sabctioned n works will be done on war footing in mission mode."
An official of the Urban Developement Department said that the government has accorded high priority to these developmental works and has been regularly striving since February 2015 to providing a life of dignity to the residents of unauthorised colonies, where residents have been forced to live their lives in inhuman conditions.
"It is a matter of concern that during the last few decades, only a handful of unauthorised colonies were chosen for carrying out developmental works in the first phase. And there too very little or no work was done," said the official
"The Chief Minister has directed the Urban Development Minister to ensure that the basic developmental work of construction of roads and drains is now carried out on a war footing," he added.
The Irrigation and Flood Control Department and the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) are the nodal agencies for carrying out the developmental works in unauthorised colonies.
The Delhi government, in its Budget for the 2018-19 financial year, earmarked Rs 1,000 crore for the repair of roads, which will be carried out on the basis of the recommendation of concerned MLAs.
