- By Kamakshi Bishnoi
- Thu, 02 Oct 2025 09:41 PM (IST)
- Source:Jagran News Network
After missing several deadlines over the past seven years, the Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) first phase of the Kathputli Colony rehabilitation project is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Lieutenant Governor and DDA Chairman VK Saxena said around 700 flats would be allotted to residents by December, while also expressing dissatisfaction with the builder over prolonged delays.
The project, launched as the first under the “Jhuggi Jahan, Makaan” scheme, has seen slower progress compared to subsequent initiatives such as the Kalkaji and Jailerwala Bagh projects, where flats were allotted years ago.
Established in the 1960s and 70s, Kathputli Colony became home to puppeteers, dancers, singers, magicians, and folk artists, mainly from Rajasthan and later from other states. The community gained international recognition during the Festival of India in the UK in 1980. Efforts to vacate the colony began in 1985, with relocation plans to areas like Vasant Kunj, Mehrauli, and Dwarka, but residents resisted the move.
Work on the in-situ rehabilitation project began in April 2018, after the Union Housing and Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri laid the foundation stone. Initially slated for completion by March 2019, the project faced repeated delays, including disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last month, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Development Manohar Lal Khattar also reviewed the site.
The Kathputli Colony redevelopment is the DDA’s first in-situ rehabilitation initiative, undertaken in partnership with Raheja Group. The project was first proposed in 2008–09 but stalled due to residents’ opposition. Between 2014 and 2017, many families were relocated to transit camps in Anand Parvat and Narela.
Recently, the DDA renamed the project “Pragati Apartments,” following residents’ long-standing demand. Similar renaming has been done earlier; Kalkaji flats were renamed Asha Kiran Apartments, while those in Jailerwala Bagh became Swabhiman Apartments.
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Key Facts at a Glance
-2,800 flats are being built on 5.2 acres of land in Kathputli Colony.
-Cost of construction per flat: approx. Rs 15 lakh.
-Allotment cost for residents: Rs 1.42 lakh (including Rs 30,000 for repairs).
-Each flat (37 sq m) will include a bedroom, hall, kitchen, toilet, bathroom, and balcony.
-Two open-air theatres and a school will also be built.
-3.4 hectares of land are earmarked for rehabilitation purposes.