Soon,biometric ID for slum dwellers in rehab scheme

In-situ projects are those where fresh construction takes place at the same site.

The project has been awarded to Raheja Developers,which will construct 2,800 dwelling units at the slum site.

While slum dwellers at Kathputli Colony,near Shadipur Depot in West Delhi,claim the proposed number of units is not enough,DDA officials said the number is proportionate with the size of the existing slum population. “There will be people who will insist they live in the slums,when they don’t,” a DDA official said. “Carrying out a biometric registration of slum dwellers there will go a long way in curbing such cases.”

The DDA is keen to ensure that the present scheme is implemented flawlessly,according to the official. “Everything about the in-situ slum rehabilitation project,right from the tendering stage,is being carried out with utmost transparency. As per agreement with the private developer,DDA will be responsible for allotting the completed flats.”

The official said the DDA will carry out registration in a “transparent manner”.

While it is still not clear how and when DDA intends to carry out biometric registration process,the official said it would probably be along the lines of the system proposed in Maharashtra,in which those eligible for state-sponsored houses are to be given a unique identification number.

L-G Khanna has also advised DDA to “adopt a flexible approach in working out in-situ redevelopment schemes so that new models and concepts can be adopted depending upon site-specific requirements”,according to minutes of the meeting.

Raheja Developers has said the project will take two years to be ready once slum dwellers are temporarily relocated from the 5.22-hectare colony.