After years of delays and multiple unfulfilled promises, a significant step forward appears to be on the horizon for the long-awaited rehabilitation of slum dwellers in Panchkula. The Haryana government has now taken a decisive action, instructing the Panchkula Mayor, the Principal Secretary of the state, and officials from the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) to convene and collaboratively work out the definitive modalities for relocating the city’s slum population. This directive comes approximately four months after the Panchkula Municipal Corporation gave its crucial go-ahead for the regularization of illegal colonies, proposing to offer 1-marla residential plots to eligible families who have resided in these informal settlements for two decades or more. The previous proposal aimed to allocate these plots at 2004 collector rates, allowing families to retain their existing residences while gaining formal land tenure. Slum dwellers, many of whom have lived in pitiable conditions since as early as 1984 in colonies like Rajiv Colony, Indira Colony, Kharak Mangoli, and Gandhi Colony, have long advocated for receiving land at their current locations. However, this preference has often met with resistance from residents of adjacent sectors, creating a complex social and logistical challenge. Despite several surveys conducted in the past with explicit plans to rehabilitate these slum dwellers, concrete action and implementation have largely failed to materialize. The current directive signals a renewed and more concerted effort by the Haryana government to finally address this pressing urban issue, which impacts thousands of families living without basic amenities, often alongside open drains and in unhygienic conditions. Mayor Kulbhushan Goyal confirmed that the proposal has gained momentum, with a meeting scheduled to thrash out the implementation plan and formalize the rehabilitation process. The successful execution of this initiative would not only provide formal housing and improved living conditions for a vulnerable segment of the population but also contribute significantly to the overall urban planning and development of Panchkula, ensuring a more inclusive and equitable city landscape.
