NEW DELHI: In a relief to nearly 2.4 lakh slum dwellers, the Centre informed the Supreme Court on Monday that no demolition will take place till a decision is taken by the Railways, the Ministry of Urban Development and the Delhi government.
Both the Centre and the Delhi government are in the process of making the decision with regard to the clearing of 48,000 slums situated adjacent to railway tracks in Delhi, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde.
The top court listed the matter after four weeks.On August 31, the apex court had directed the Railways to remove the 48,000 slums situated in the railway’s safety zone within three months.
It had directed that no court in Delhi would stay the demolition process. Subsequently, several applications were filed, including one by senior Congress leader Ajay Maken, urging the top court not to evict the slum dwellers till alternate housing is provided to them.
Mehta informed the top court that under August 31 order, no demolition has started and no coercive action will take place till a decision is taken jointly by the Centre and the Delhi government.Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for Maken, urged the bench that status quo be maintained.
“We are not ordering any status quo. The Solicitor General has already said that no action will be taken till a decision is taken and we have recorded it,” the bench said.
Singhvi said some demolition took place on September 11 and 14 in the national capital. However, Solicitor General clarified it was not done under this order.
No status quo: HC
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi submitted that the court should order a status quo. The bench replied that it will not, as the Centre has stated that there will be status quo till a decision is taken.