NEW DELHI: The Rekha Gupta government on Thursday notified the Delhi Slum and Jhuggi Jhopri Relocation and Rehabilitation Policy, 2026, paving the way for permanent housing for an estimated 4-5 lakh families, or nearly 20 lakh people, living in slum settlements in the city.
Eligible beneficiaries will be allotted one-bedroom, hall and kitchen (1-BHK) flats. The residential complexes will have schools, Anganwadi centres, healthcare facilities and playgrounds.
The policy extends rehabilitation benefits to eligible households in settlements established before January 1, 2025, bringing within its ambit families which may have been excluded from earlier schemes. It prioritises in-situ rehabilitation, with the government aiming to provide alternative homes at the existing settlement or within a three-kilometre radius to minimise disruption to residents’ livelihoods and access to major services.
Gupta said the objective was not merely to clear slums or redevelop settlements, but to provide eligible families permanent homes where they could live with security and dignity.
A key safeguard prohibits removal of slum settlements without providing alternative accommodation to occupants.
Preferential systems
Families with persons with disabilities will receive priority for ground-floor flats, subject to certification requirements and availability. Housing units will be allotted jointly to married couples to protect their residential rights and minimise future disputes.