Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Sunday that her government will ensure proper rehabilitation of eligible slum dwellers displaced due to development projects or other legitimate reasons, so that they can be active participants in the capital's growth story.

Gupta visited a slum camp (Faatakwali jhuggi) near the railway crossing at Shalimar Bagh on Sunday, an official statement said.

The railways has issued a notice for the removal of the slum settlement as it is located on railway land. The Indian Railways is expanding the Azadpur railway station.

Gupta pointed out that a survey of the slum area was conducted in 2020, but the then Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government neither took any decisions nor held talks with the railways. "We have now begun working on a plan for you, so that you do not face any hardship," she said.

The chief minister made it clear that if slums have to be removed for the sake of development projects or any other legitimate reasons, the government will ensure proper rehabilitation for the eligible residents so that they too can become part of Delhi's growth story.

"When a crisis came upon you, I came to meet you because the Delhi government is not in favour of removing slums without any reason," she said. Gupta assured the slum dwellers that she would speak to the Ministry of Railways and make housing arrangements for the residents of the area. "You will get complete justice. The Delhi government is fully committed to this," she said, adding that there is no need to panic.

Gupta said her government has allocated crores of rupees in the budget for the development of slum settlements. She said whenever slums need to be removed for any reason, arrangements are made to provide houses to the eligible residents so that they can be true citizens of the national capital.

She also criticised the previous AAP and Congress governments in the city, claiming that no development took place in Delhi's slums in the last 40 years. "These parties only saw slum dwellers as voters and constantly tried to exploit them, while also damaging the city's geographical character," she alleged.

Taking a dig at the AAP, Gupta said "broom-wielding" leaders are making baseless allegations that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Delhi is focussed on removing slum dwellers.

"Let me tell them that the government has allocated a budget of Rs 700 crore for the development of slum settlements," the chief minister said.

Broom is the poll symbol of the AAP.

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