Chandigarh, Sept. 24 -- City Beautiful is all set to become the country's first slum-free city with the UT administration all set to demolish Chandigarh's last slum-Shahpur Colony in Sector 38 (West) on September 30. Spread across four acres of government land, valued at Rs.250 crore, Shahpur Colony has around 300 shanties with nearly 1,000 residents. Public notices have already been pasted outside the colony, asking residents to vacate. "The UT administration is conducting screening of the residents living in this slum. We are verifying their identity and address proofs. Over 45 families, so far, have been found eligible under the UT's rehabilitation scheme and will be allotted flats. The process is still on," officials from UT's estate office said, adding that the demolition drive will begin early in the morning of September 30. The administration has been working to make Chandigarh slum-free since the early 2000s. In 2006, it launched an ambitious rehabilitation initiative under the Chandigarh Small Flats Scheme, earmarking 356 acres - nearly 20% of the city's 2,811 acres of net vacant land - for the construction of 25,728 flats intended to house 23,841 families from 18 unauthorised colonies. The identified families, comprising over one lakh residents, were required to pay a nominal monthly rent after relocation. However, delays and non-payment have resulted in significant outstanding dues. The UT administration has demolished 18 of the 19 slum colonies in the city so far and reclaimed more than 520 acres of land worth over Rs.21,000 crore. This year alone, it has recovered land worth Rs.1,530 crore. This included the demolition of Adarsh Colony, an illegal settlement spread over 12 acres of government land in Sectors 53 and 54, which was demolished on June 19. It was the second last remaining slum in the city. The colony, which came up nearly two decades ago, housed around 1,000 shanties. The estimated value of the reclaimed land was Rs.480 crore. UT had reclaimed 28 acres as it razed Janta Colony in Sector 25 on May 6, reclaiming around 10 acres worth Rs.350 crore. On April 24, over 1,000 makeshift structures were razed in Sanjay Colony, Industrial Area, Phase 1. The colony had been encroaching on nearly six acres of prime government land worth Rs.300 crore. In 2013, it razed Colony Number 5, followed by Colony Number 4 in 2022. Together, these two slums had occupied over 165 acres. Other demolished slums include Mazdoor Colony, Kuldeep Colony, Pandit Colony, Nehru Colony, Ambedkar Colony, Kajheri Colony and Madrasi Colony. Besides the slums, the UT also demolished the three-decade old furniture market, which was illegally operating on government land in Sectors 53 and 54 since 1985. On the redevelopment plans for the reclaimed land, officials said the UT engineering department would prepare plans for residential, commercial and institutional projects as per the Chandigarh Master Plan-2031. Under the Chandigarh Master Plan - 2031, the UT administration has consistently prioritised the twin objectives of slum clearance and rehabilitation, ensuring that slum dwellers are not merely displaced but are resettled in planned, affordable housing. This vision is being realised through a combination of policy interventions, land-use reforms, and strict enforcement mechanisms. As part of the comprehensive rehabilitation strategy, over 25,000 small flats have been constructed across multiple locations, including Dhanas, Maloya, Mauli Jagran, and Ramdarbar, under the Chandigarh Small Flats Scheme, 2006, aimed at providing dignified housing to the economically weaker sections (EWS)....