Chandigarh becomes India's 1st city without slums
On September 30, 2025, Chandigarh officially became India's first city without slums after clearing its last settlement, Shahpur Colony.
This milestone wraps up a two-decade effort by the city to remove unauthorized colonies and reclaim public land.
The final demolition
The final demolition was a big operation—eight teams equipped with bulldozers and 500 police officers worked together to clear Shahpur Colony in just six hours.
Nearly 1,000 residents were relocated under the Chandigarh Small Flats Scheme (started in 2006), which has already provided over 25,000 affordable homes for families who needed them most.
Urban planning and vision
Since the early 2000s, Chandigarh has cleared out 18 of its 19 slums and recovered more than 520 acres of valuable land—worth over ₹21,000 crore.
The city plans to use this space for new homes, businesses, and institutions as part of its Master Plan-2031.
It's all part of a bigger vision: better urban planning with real support for those affected.