A contingent of at least eight excavator machines slashed and razed through illegal constructions at Taimoor Nagar in southeast Delhi from 9am on Monday, as the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) began its demolition drive to clear unauthorised houses built along a critical drainage line, following orders from the Delhi high court.
Officials involved in the drive said they demolished around 100 structures under heavy police deployment and that the operation would be completed in two more days. The clearance will enable agencies to clean the drain and restore proper flow, they said.
The severely impaired sewage flow in the drain becomes an annual problem, which is particularly exacerbated during monsoon, when it backflows into residential areas across south and southeast Delhi such as New Friends Colony, Friends Colony, Maharani Bagh, Kalindi Colony and Jangpura, among others.
A senior DDA official present at the site, requesting anonymity, said the administration had issued multiple notices to residents, which were wilfully ignored. “It will take us two more days to complete the drive,” the official said.
While the DDA spokesperson did not comment on the drive, a DDA official said action was taken as per court order. A spokesperson for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi said action was taken by a joint task force led by the DDA.
There are two slum clusters along the drain, while the urban village occupies the opposite side. All underground drainage pipelines from nearby colonies discharge into what is meant to be a 20-foot-wide drain abutting Eastern Avenue Road. However, the drain narrows to barely 4-5 feet near the Taimoor Nagar slums due to encroachments and waste, creating a severe choke point that causes backflow into upstream colonies. The civic body then has to pump the water out manually.
The high court order to demolish the slums was issued on a batch of suo motu petitions it took up over severe waterlogging in the Capital due to clogged drains. A bench of justice Prathiba M Singh and Manmeet PS Arora directed for the demolition after DDA’s counsel submitted that pursuant to a joint inspection, the agency concluded that there was a need to raze around 100 illegal structures. “It needs to be demolished, We hope you have heard us. We don’t know who are the mafias who have taken money and sold the apartments… Let the action in terms of the inspection and demarcation be carried out from May 5,” the bench said.
Police officials present at the site said that they cordoned off the entire area to conduct the drive. “There are at least 150 police personnel present at the moment and additionally, CRPF and rapid action force is also present. There has been no untoward incident and the first day went smoothly as people knew that orders of the court were being followed,” a police officer present at the site said on condition of anonymity.
Delhi Police did not comment on the drive.
During a spot check around noon, HT found residents rummaging through the debris to collect any belongings they could find. Locals said that before the drive, many had also pre-emptively demolished their houses, and took away doors, electrical appliances and lighting equipment.
Residents alleged the drive was undertaken without giving them due time to collect their belongings.
Sixty-year-old Prem Pal, a resident of Valmiki jhuggi, said many residents had been staying here since the 1990s and they were assured that only a part of their homes would be demolished.
“There are 10 members in my family and the rental for cheapest accommodation for so many people ranges from ₹7,000 to ₹10,000 per month. I don’t have necessary earnings. Where will I take my family?” Pal said.
Sixty-five-year-old Mewa Ram, who makes a living by producing paper plates, stood next to his demolished home, lamenting that despite assurances since 2013, allotment plans remained only on paper and that his family has no shelter. “We deposited around ₹70,000 in 2013… initially, allotments were made for houses near Baprola and Najafgarh, but we never got any possession,” he said.
Raju (single name), who works as a housekeeper, said he invested lakhs of rupees in his home a few years ago and rued that it was all wasted now, as he not only forewent his savings but also has to rent a place now.
