Question : Slums near Railway Tracks

Will the Minister of HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) the present status of the action taken by the Government in consultation/co-ordination with State Governments and the Ministry of Railways for rehabilitation of poor families residing near railway tracks in cities so as to remove slum dwelling units along the railway tracks in the country;

(b) whether the Government proposes to launch slum free city mission in Delhi by taking cue from the Pradhan Mantri Housing for All scheme;

(c) if so, the details thereof; and

(d) if not, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
(SHRI HARDEEP SINGH PURI)

(a): The Government of India through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has launched the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) {PMAY(U)} on June 25, 2015 to assist States /UTs in providing all weather pucca house to all eligible urban homeless households. The PMAY(U) mission guidelines advocates that Central Government land owning agencies should also undertake “in-situ” slum redevelopment in their lands occupied by slums by using it as a resource for providing houses to slum dwellers.

Pursuant to the issuance of scheme guidelines, the MoHUA has written to all State Governments and Central Government land owning Ministries/Departments including the Ministry of Railways to explore the possibilities of rehabilitation of slums on their land and seek Central Assistance under PMAY(U) mission.
The Ministry of Railways (MoR) in their response has stated that most of the encroachments on railway land are in the approaches of stations in Metros and big cities in the form of slums around railway tracks. Further, MoR has informed that they do not have any policy for resettlement and rehabilitation of encroachers. Rehabilitation on Railway land is not feasible due to Railway’s safety constraints/operational requirements. Keeping in view Railways’ expansion plans, operational and maintenance requirements, and safety of travelling public and housing being a State Subject, the State Government or Urban Local Body (ULB) has to provide alternative sites for rehabilitation/resettlement of the slum dwellers. Entire cost of such rehabilitation/resettlement may also be borne by State Government or ULB as Railway may not be able to contribute towards cost of land or rehabilitation/resettlement.
(b) & (c): In so far as the MoHUA is concerned, there is no such proposal to launch slum free city mission in Delhi.
(d): The MoHUA has already launched PMAY(U) mission in order to provide houses to all slum households including those of Delhi.

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