2.78 lakh people evicted in past 2 years in Delhi, the most in India: report

What contributed to the city’s high numbers in these two years was the spate of evictions and demolitions before the G20 summit in September 2023, it said.

“The Delhi Development Authority (DDA), admittedly, carried out 49 demolition drives in Delhi since April 1, 2023, in which an area measuring 229.137 acres was claimed to be ‘reclaimed’,” the report highlighted.

Beautification drives in areas such as Kasturba Nagar, Tughlaqabad, Pragati Maidan, Yamuna Flood Plains, and Dhaula Kuan led to the displacement of a large number of people. The homeless were also displaced from eight government shelters which were demolished as part of the beautification drive. According to the report, evictions carried out by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) in Sarai Kale Khan and areas of Yamuna Pushta impacted at least 1,280 people.

It claims that hundreds of people belonging to the Gadia Lohar (ironsmith) community were rendered homeless after their settlements were destroyed in Bawana Village, Deenpur Village, Gokulpuri, Karkardooma, Manglapuri, Shahdara, Dhasa Najafgarh, Prahladpur, Shiv Vihar, and Madangir, among other areas.

The report notes, “Independent experts estimate that since India’s Independence in 1947, ostensible ‘development’ projects have disproportionately affected communities of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Of those displaced, 40 per cent are Adivasis/Indigenous Peoples/Tribals, while 20 per cent are Dalits/Scheduled Castes; with only one-third amongst them receiving resettlement.”

When it comes to resettling those who were displaced, Delhi failed to rehabilitate people despite orders from the Delhi High Court. The report cites the case of 400 people in Kidwai Nagar who have been waiting for alternative housing since 2017 despite directives from the High Court in Mathura Prasad vs South Delhi Municipal Corporation.

“While the authorities cite lack of coordination between the central and state governments and overlapping implementation of schemes as the reason for this, the evicted families in Delhi are forced to languish in inadequate living conditions, waiting for alternative housing,” the report observes.

The report also highlights the lack of due process followed by the state when it comes to evictions. It noted the case of the Pragati Maidan demolition in June 2023, when authorities showed up at 5 am, leaving no time for the residents to collect their belongings and make alternative arrangements.

The report emphasises the growing obstacles faced by individuals affected by forced evictions in accessing justice. For example, the Delhi High Court declined to intervene in the demolition of homes in Gyaspur and Pragati Maidan, citing their absence from the DUSIB’s list of recognised settlements, it said.

It urged authorities to put a moratorium on evictions and ensure due process is followed after obtaining informed consent from the affected people. It also recommended providing rehabilitation and legitimising informal settlements.