Some targeted in North MCD drive say they have valid documents, never got a chance to show them

“They said they are removing illegal encroachments. These documents are legal and have been issued by them… No notice was given by the MCD. We woke up and around 9 am, we got to know they were removing encroachments. I pleaded with the police to give me 10 minutes to remove the cart, but they assured me nothing will happen. Then the bulldozer rolled in…,” she said.

Several people, whose carts and parts of shops were broken, said that they had valid documents. Among them was juice seller Ganesh Kumar Gupta, who moved the Supreme Court Thursday seeking compensation from the corporation. With a wad of papers in hand, he said his shop was authorised and allotted by the DDA in 1977.

“I moved the SC since I was left with no other option. The shop was my only source of livelihood. I have to take care of my four children. I employed two workers, who are out of jobs now. I have the necessary licences, allotment letter, property tax documents, electricity and water bills. My family has been running the shop for more than four decades and this has never happened. It appears that my shop was targeted because the administration wanted to shield itself from accusations of one-sided action,” said Gupta.

Daleep Kumar Saxena, whose shop ‘Delhi Fruit Juice’ was among those whose facade was razed, showed his documents as he was escorted away by police. “I was allotted this shop… I have paid the property tax and have a licence. It has been running since 1977. I have not encroached upon any space. In fact, I have left three-inch space on two sides in my shop. No prior notice had been given. I have suffered a loss of several lakhs and will consider approaching court,” said Saxena.

Others, meanwhile, were still comprehending the extent of the loss.

Twenty-four hours after the drive ended, Sarika (22) was yet to leave her home since a bulldozer razed the staircase. She looked to her neighbour, Akbar (35), to deliver groceries to her.

The street is just one floor below but Akbar has to leap from the terrace of his home to the one adjacent and then take the staircase down. While his staircase is intact, he cannot step out as police have blocked access. “I leap from my terrace to an adjacent terrace and then have to climb down to access the back lane to my home. I am unable to access the front portion of my house because of police presence,” he said.

Many who lost their hand carts and small shops said that amid heavy police presence and barricading, they are unable to resume work. And since these families live on daily wages, they say their savings have begun to dip.

Raman Jha (52) said he lost his paan shop and has to apply for a loan. “It is not like I can find another job. We have not been able to work for a week now and will soon have no money to buy food. I had spent all my cash stocking up my paan shop,” he said.

According to police, local residents were not given access to the main road in C block because of law-and-order issues.

At Gali No. 1 in C block, several residents waited to sell their damaged carts in scrap. Sofi Bul says he lost material worth Rs 20,000. “I have two children and I am the only earning member. What was achieved by demolishing a poor man’s cart?”