At a JJ cluster near Azadpur, Thursday. An affidavit filed by ADRM claims “these clusters sum up to a total of about 48,000 jhuggis” near railway tracks. (Express Photo: Tashi Tobgyal)Meetings between different agencies over the Supreme Court order to demolish 48,000 jhuggis in the city have so far not produced any roadmap for the process, with AAP and BJP blaming each other for the action. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held a meeting with senior officials on Thursday. Sources said the discussion was based around finding alternate arrangements for the residents of these areas and implementing the order.
The Supreme Court had last week ordered that jhuggis along railway lines are to be demolished. It had also restrained any other court from ordering a stay on demolition. The action has to be completed within three months, it said. The rehabilitation of slum dwellers is to be done by Delhi government’s Urban Shelter Improvement Board. Between 2007 and 2019, 31,424 one-BHK flats were built under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, by various government agencies. A large percentage of them are still lying vacant. Asked when the demolition would begin, a Northern Railways spokesperson said, “At present we cannot say when… Meetings are being held between stakeholders – Delhi government, the Railways, Ministry of Urban Affairs and MCDs.”
AAP MLA Raghav Chadha said on Thursday that the AAP government would not accept any action against slum dwellers. He also blamed the Centre for the action. “I am tearing these notices and reminding the BJP that till the time the Kejriwal government is here not a single slum dweller will lose their home,” Chadha said.
Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, meanwhile, said instead of tearing notices, the government should allot vacant homes to families. “Delhi government should allot vacant houses to slum dwellers with immediate effect…”