As BJP looks to build on housing schemes, a reality check in Delhi

Every morning, as Shyam Dev Chaudhary trudges home from an exhausting night shift, he is greeted by the silhouette of an under-construction housing complex, rising next to his modest abode.

-  RAKSHIT KUMAR

This building symbolises the promise of a brighter future under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U).

Chaudhary is among the 1,396 residents of the Jailorwala Bagh slum cluster in North Delhi's Ashok Vihar, who are eagerly awaiting their new homes. Having weathered two decades in the slum, he is no stranger to the recurrent deferrals in flat allotment, originally slated for May 2022.

"They (the Delhi Development Authority, or DDA) say it would take another year," he notes, pointing out that essential amenities like water connections and lift service are still in the pipeline. The DDA is the nodal agency for the redevelopment of slum clusters on central government land in Delhi. Delays notwithstanding, the Jailorwala Bagh project seems to be serving its political purpose for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The 14-storey building is a tangible showpiece, showcasing the party's commitment to the slum dwellers. Party workers have been conducting tours of the building for residents of other slums, promising them a similar upgrade, reveals a resident.

Housing has been a pressing issue for a significant portion of Delhi's 20 million inhabitants.

The issue flared up when the DDA razed nearly 10 slums in the first half of 2023, in the run-up to the G20 Summit.