The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has begun the process of in-situ rehabilitation of 45 Jhuggi Jhopri (JJ) clusters covering 21,229 households and more than one lakh people across the national capital. The clusters, spread across 135.74 acres, have been grouped into 15 projects for the proposed redevelopment programme. DDA has invited bids to appoint three transaction advisers who will prepare detailed feasibility reports for the projects. The construction work has not yet begun, and the immediate focus is on assessing the feasibility, development potential and financial viability of each cluster before individual projects are taken forward.

The transaction advisers will assess the number of families requiring rehabilitation at each location, the housing capacity needed, civic infrastructure requirements and the scope for additional development. Their studies will also examine the financial viability of the projects and recommend suitable implementation models. The advisers will be selected from firms empanelled with the Department of Economic Affairs or the National Land Monetisation Corporation. Their findings are expected to provide the basis for determining how the 15 projects can be structured, financed and implemented. The exercise will also establish how much land must be reserved for rehabilitation housing and what additional residential or commercial development, if any, can be accommodated at individual sites.

The 45-cluster programme forms part of DDA's larger vision under the Master Plan for Delhi 2047, which envisages in-situ rehabilitation for around 17 lakh people living across more than 650 JJ clusters in the capital. The current batch therefore represents only a portion of the wider redevelopment programme. The move also comes amid efforts by authorities to accelerate the rehabilitation of JJ clusters in Delhi. Earlier, DDA and the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) were asked to take up multiple clusters for redevelopment and prepare project documents for others under the Delhi Slum and JJ Cluster Rehabilitation and Relocation Policy, 2026. The feasibility exercise is intended to establish a clearer project pipeline before construction begins.

Also Read: Guwahati Police Arrest 17 Bangladeshi Nationals In Major Enforcement Operation Across Assam City

Under the in-situ rehabilitation model, eligible residents are provided formal housing at or close to the location of their existing settlement rather than being permanently moved to another part of the city. The approach is designed to reduce the disruption caused by relocation and allow families to remain closer to employment opportunities, schools, public transport and established social networks. Residents may nevertheless have to move temporarily while redevelopment is under construction. Depending on the characteristics and development potential of a site, the model can also provide for additional residential or commercial construction. DDA will therefore have to determine the rehabilitation requirement, available development potential, infrastructure needs and financing structure for each of the 45 clusters before the projects can move to the construction stage.

Delhi has previously implemented in-situ rehabilitation projects, although the pace and experience have varied across locations. At Kalkaji Extension, 3,024 Economically Weaker Section flats were completed for eligible residents of Bhoomiheen Camp as part of a phased DDA rehabilitation project. In January 2025, another 1,675 flats at Swabhiman Apartments in Ashok Vihar were inaugurated for eligible residents of JJ clusters. These projects provide examples of the housing component of the rehabilitation approach, but the broader programme has also encountered delays. Kathputli Colony, one of Delhi's prominent in-situ rehabilitation projects, has seen residents remain in transit accommodation for years while awaiting permanent homes, highlighting the challenges involved in executing large-scale redevelopment projects.

For the latest 45-cluster programme, DDA's next step is to obtain project-specific feasibility assessments before deciding how redevelopment should proceed. The advisers will have to examine site conditions, rehabilitation requirements, infrastructure and financial considerations across the 15 proposed projects. The authority has said the current exercise could benefit more than one lakh people once implemented, but no construction timeline has been announced because the projects are still at the planning and feasibility stage. The outcome of the studies will determine the scale of housing to be created, the development that can be supported at each location and the implementation model adopted for the individual projects.

Also Read: Trump Says US Has Neutralised Iran's Nuclear Power, Marking Major Escalation In Regional Conflict