NEW DELHI: IN the narrow lanes near Majnu ka Tila, around 300 Hindu refugee families from Pakistan have built their lives from scratch, living in one-room homes fashioned from tin sheets and tarpaulin. For over a decade, they have stayed here with a constant fear of losing it all — again.
Some families arrived in Delhi as early as 2011, and for years, the residents have faced the prospect of demolition. The settlement lies on the Yamuna floodplains, where construction is prohibited.
Last year, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) issued eviction notices in March and July but did not act on them.
In May this year, the Delhi HC dismissed a plea seeking protection for the camp, stating that environmental restrictions on the floodplains must be enforced. In July, the DDA again pasted notices, signalling that bulldozers could arrive at any time.
For Sona Das, one of the community leaders, the anxiety is relentless. “Some 200 families got citizenship last year, but many are still waiting. Despite entering the country legally and gaining citizenship, we still live in fear. Other slum dwellers have a support system here; they can go back to their villages. We have nowhere to go. If they demolish our homes, we will have to live on the streets,” he said.
He added that, unlike in other eviction drives, officials have not promised alternate housing. Most families survive by selling mobile covers and other accessories on roadside stalls, with stable income still out of reach.
Dharamveer Bagri, another resident, remembers the fields they once tilled back in Sindh, voicing their longing for stability, dignity, and a return to self-reliance. “We were farmers there. Here, we live in cramped dwellings, in overcrowded settlements. If the government could give our community even a small piece of land, we would be grateful forever,” he said.
HC junks plea seeking protection of camp
Last year, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had issued eviction notices in March and July but did not proceed with them.
In May this year, the Delhi High Court dismissed a plea seeking protection for the camp, stating that environmental restrictions on the floodplains must be enforced. In July, however, the DDA again pasted notices, signalling that bulldozers could arrive at any time.