Kejriwal assures of open defecation-free slums in Delhi by March 2018, pucca houses by 2022

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with Health Minister Satyendar Jain inaugurates 810 public toilets at Madrasi Basti, Jal Vihar in New Delhi on Thursday. (Source: PTI)

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday reaffirmed that all slum clusters in the city will be made open defecation-free by March next year, even as his cabinet minister Satyendar Jain promised to provide pucca house to slum dwellers by 2022. Speaking at the inaugural function of newly-constructed toilet complex in Jangpura, Kejriwal said around 10,000 community toilets have been constructed by the Delhi government in the last two years.

Kejriwal said soon after the AAP government was formed, he had enquired the officers about the time period for making all jhuggi jhopri (JJ) clusters in the city open defecation-free, adding that the time period assessed varied from five to 10 years. “However, I gave them a target of 2-3 years and promised that there will not be any shortage of funds. All slum clusters will now become open-defecation free by March 2018,” Kejriwal told a gathering at Madrasi Basti in Jangpura area.

A total of 810 toilets across the city, constructed by Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) and located at different locations, were inaugurated today. He said that provision of toilets in the slums would be a big step in strengthening women safety, besides the government’s initiative to install CCTV cameras in city buses.

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Kejriwal said that no slum cluster, which came up till January 2015, will be allowed to be demolished till the time the residents are rehabilitated permanently.

Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain, who was also present at the event, said the Delhi government will provide pucca house to slum dwellers by 2022, a dream of the Chief Minister.