Residents of Bhai Ram Camp, Masjid Camp and DID Camp located along Race Course Road have been directed to vacate the area or face legal action, according to a notice issued on Thursday by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
The notice, which was served on at least one resident and is understood to apply to all occupants of the three settlements housing around 700 families, states that the land is government-owned and that any continued occupation would be treated as unauthorised. Officials indicated that failure to comply with the directive could invite eviction proceedings and other legal measures under applicable laws, reports said on Friday.
The move has also been linked by local residents and observers to heightened security considerations in the area, with a new official residence for Prime Minister Narendra Modi coming up in the Race Course Road neighbourhood. While there has been no official confirmation of this linkage, the location’s proximity to high-security government premises is seen as a key factor behind the urgency of the eviction notice.
The communication has caused anxiety among residents of Bhai Ram Camp, Masjid Camp and DID Camp, many of whom say they have lived in the area for years and depend on nearby neighbourhoods for work and access to basic services. Some residents said they were yet to receive clarity on timelines for vacating the premises or whether any rehabilitation or alternative housing would be offered.
Officials familiar with the matter said the action is part of a broader effort to reclaim and secure government land in high-security and central zones of the capital. Race Course Road, which houses key government and official residences, is considered a sensitive area, and authorities have periodically moved to remove encroachments in its vicinity.
The notice does not specify a precise deadline for vacating the premises, but warns that enforcement action may follow if residents do not comply. Residents are expected to approach local authorities and elected representatives seeking clarification, relief or rehabilitation, even as the prospect of eviction raises concerns over displacement and livelihood disruption.
The ministry has not yet issued a public statement outlining the next steps or detailing whether surveys or resettlement plans are under consideration, leaving residents uncertain about their immediate future.