‘How is it possible to leave our homes during winter?’: Residents of three slums near PM’s home face eviction

Sitting beside Rooplal, his wife, Asha (60), says, “We’ve looked for rooms to rent but they cost around Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000. We can’t afford that.” Their son, who works at a private company, is the family’s sole breadwinner.

The notices, issued on October 29, stated that a joint survey was conducted by the L&DO and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in January 2024 regarding the rehabilitation of the clusters.

The eviction notice stated, “This notice is issued to you as an illegal occupant situated within the illegal jhuggi jhopri (JJ) cluster located on government land in the Race Course Area… Since your occupation of the premises is illegal and you do not qualify for alternative accommodation under the rehabilitation scheme… you are hereby directed to vacate… within 15 days from the date of issue of this notice.”

The notices were issued on October 29 to DID Camp, Bhai Ram Camp and Masjid Camp. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)

A ‘rehabilitation notice’ pasted alongside stated: “… We are pleased to inform you that suitable and sanctioned accommodation… has been identified at DUSIB Colony, Savda Ghevra” — around 40 km away. It gave them 15 days to vacate.

It contains a list of names marked either ‘eligible’ or ‘ineligible,’ along with the reasons stated for each. “No valid mandatory document submitted,” “name not found in any voter list of the year — 2012, 2013, 2014 and till January 2015,” “sold jhuggi to another person,” were some of the reasons stated beside ineligible residents.

While Rooplal’s family has been found eligible for rehabilitation, Asha says they are unwilling to move since her husband is receiving treatment at Safdarjung Hospital.

Two other jhuggi clusters in the vicinity — Bhai Ram Camp and Masjid Camp — have received similar notices. Many residents work at the Race Course and Jaipur Polo Grounds as horse trainers or labourers.

Krishna Kumar, a resident of DID Camp, claims residents from all three JJ clusters had met Delhi Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh — also the area MLA — requesting that the notice be taken down. “He [the minister] said he has spoken to officials and the jhuggis won’t be demolished,” he claims. “But let’s see what happens.”

Kumar, who is eligible for rehabilitation, adds that documents such as Aadhaar, ration and voter ID cards were checked during the survey.

The notices were issued on October 29 to DID Camp, Bhai Ram Camp and Masjid Camp. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)

A woman says on condition of anonymity, “Bacchon ka school yahin paas main hai, mere pati ka kaam bhi paas mein hai. Jabse ye sarkar aayi hai jab se ye chal raha hai hai. Bole the jahan jhuggi wahan makaan, kahan hai vo ab? (The children’s school is nearby, and my husband’s workplace is close too. Ever since this government came, this has been going on. They had promised ‘where there’s a jhuggi, there’ll be a house’ — where is that now?).”

At the entry to Bhai Ram Camp, too, a list of eligible and ineligible occupants is pasted at the entrance. Residents claim there are 70-80 homes here.

Samuel Raical (51), who was born in this camp, claims the flats in Savda Ghevra are not habitable. “I visited the flats, they need more work… they are not ready yet.” He has been offered rehabilitation.

The pradhan of the cluster says they raised a request to relocate people within a 7-km radius. “This is not the first notice issued to us… but this is the first time a deadline has been given,” she adds.

Opposite the lush, green Jaipur Polo Grounds is Masjid Camp, where around 50 families live.

Several families live here on rent, paying around Rs 6,000-7,000. A woman says, “We live on rent, so how will our name come on the list? My husband works as a beldar (labourer) at the Race Course.”

L&DO and DDA did not respond to requests for comment.

A senior government official says, “Almost all jhuggi clusters in Delhi are being surveyed since they are on government land, and some in VVIP areas, which means they will eventually be evicted. But the government is planning to bring out a policy where the people will be rehabilitated within a radius of 2-3 km…”