Modifying its stay order, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday allowed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to demolish the slums of those residents of west Delhi’s Kathputli Colony who were eligible for relocation and had moved out voluntarily.
A Bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar issued the direction while modifying its Tuesday order putting on hold the demolition of jhuggis in the area for two weeks.
The court modified its order on an application moved by the DDA, which also sought permission to remove rubble from the site.
Status report
Allowing the DDA to demolish the jhuggis of those who had moved out voluntarily or were moving out, the Bench said the demolition should not affect the homes of the others living there. It also directed the DDA to file a status report indicating who all had moved out of the area and whose jhuggis were demolished.
With regard to removal of rubble, the court said the DDA can take away the debris only after two days so that people can remove their belongings.
Tuesday’s order
The Bench had on Tuesday put on hold the DDA’s demolition drive to enable people eligible for relocation to move out of Kathputli Colony and those ineligible to file an appeal against the action.
Spread over nearly 14 acre, Kathputli Colony is home to a large number of puppeteers, magicians, singers and musicians.
It is the first slum in the city to be taken up by the DDA for in-situ redevelopment with the help of a private developer, who in turn will get a substantial part of land for commercial use.
The stay order had come on a public interest litigation filed through advocate Kamlesh Kumar Mishra on behalf of the residents and non-government organisation National Alliance of People’s Movement, claiming that the DDA had issued a notice on October 25 for vacating the area giving them only four days to move out.
The petitioners had also told the court that the transit camps at Anand Parbat and Narela, where the slum dwellers are supposed to live, were in a filthy condition and inadequate in number.
They also contended that the DDA decided to make flats for 2,800 slum dwellers when there are over 4,000 people.