THE SLUM AREAS IMPROVEMENT AND

CLEARANCE ACT 1956

The Slum Areas improvement and
clearance Act 1956
 The act focuses on improvement and clearance of
slum areas in certain Union Territories and
protection of tenants in such areas from eviction.
Apart from this identification and notification of
slum areas, slum improvement area & declaration of
slum clearance area.
Description of Slum
 Under this act slum is defined as an area unfit for human
habitation because of dilapidated buildings, overcrowding,
faulty arrangement and design of buildings, narrowness or
faulty arrangement of streets, lack of ventilation, light or
sanitation facilities or any other combination of these
factors.
 Dilapidated building can be assessed on its basis of repair,
stability, freedom from damp, natural light & air, water
supply, drainage & sanitary conveniences.
Improvement (if possible) & Cost
 If the building is found to be unfit for human habitation &
improvement can be done at reasonable cost then
competent authority may issue a notice to the owner of the
property for necessary repair & improvement. In case the
improvement is carried out by the authority then the expense
will be recovered from building owners by means of rent,
recovery from occupiers of building, by land revenue etc.
Demolition & Redevelopment
 Buildings which cannot be repaired within reasonable cost
then the authority is required to serve a notice within 30
days of inspection & demolition can be carried out only
after 6 weeks of expiration of the notice.
 In areas where demolition order has passed/ demolition
taken place no redevelopment can take place without
approval of competent authority.
Land Acquisition & Compensation
 Land acquisition will be done by central government after
providing information & discussion with land owner. The
notice of land acquisition is required to be published in
Official Gazette.
 This act provides right to receive compensation for every
person having any interest in any land acquired under this
act by central government.
Basis for determining compensation –

 Amount equal to 60 times the net average monthly income

actually derived from such land during the period of 5
consecutive years
 Amount mentioned in the notice which may be accepted or
rejected
 If the amount mentioned in notice is rejected & higher
amount is demanded then appeal can be made to
administrator.
 In case there are more than 1 person claiming the amount
then the amount will be divided between the claimants.
5 major ingredients of the slum areas
(improvement and clearance) act, 1956
1. To facilitate inclusive growth and slum-free cities.
2. To provide assured security of tenure, basic amenities
and affordable housing for slum dwellers.
3. To assign a “legal document of entitlement” to every
landless person in a slum area entitled to a dwelling
space.
4. To give mortgageable rights to allottees of dwelling
space. however, tradability of dwelling space limited to
the Government or the slum collectives.
5. To provide compensation for acquisition of land,
wherever necessary, in the form of concessional
building.
Protection of tenants in Slum areas &
powers of officials –
 Tenant slum areas cannot be cleared/evicted without
permission of the competent authority. No person can
execute eviction without approval from competent authority.
The order of eviction will only be provided after giving
opportunity to tenant of being heard.
 This act also details out the powers of competent authority
to carryout inspection & surveys of the area to identify them
as fit for human habitation or unfit for human habitation. The
person carrying out inspection has the authority to gain
forceful entry to building after getting permission from
authority & informing land/building owner.