NEW DELHI: Manoj Kumar sits on the rubble of what was once his home, a broken umbrella in hand to shield himself from the scorching sun.
He is guarding his possessions, buried underneath the debris, from scavengers. “I have asked the bulldozer operators to help lift the debris so I can collect my belongings, but they seem to be too busy,” said the 47-year-old cloth merchant.
Manoj’s home was the first of the 300 jhuggis that were demolished in the Bhoomiheen camp, a JJ cluster in south Delhi’s Govindpuri, on Wednesday.
According to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the camp encroaches upon 5 acres of DDA land. The demolition began around 5 am, with five bulldozers deployed at the site. A significant police presence was maintained to avoid any law and order issues.
Although over 3,000 families resided in the camp, only 1,862 families have been deemed eligible for rehabilitation. “I have mountains of paperwork proving that my family has been living here since 1985, but they have still denied my application for rehabilitation,” said Manoj as tears well up in his eyes, his wife and son trying in vain to console him.
Just a few feet away, Rani Sahu is busy salvaging her valuables from amid the debris, alongside her mother and daughter. “We have lived here for the past 23 years, and now we have to pack up and leave over a few days’ notice. We still haven’t found another place to rent.”
According to DDA officials, residents were deemed ineligible if they lacked required documents proving residence before January 1, 2015, or used their jhuggis for commercial purposes. Thirty-four households that won appeals before a DDA-appointed panel were also granted alternative accommodation.
A demolition drive was first carried out in the camp in June 2023. However, 435 residents filed about 55 Writ Petitions before the Delhi High Court, following which the court granted a stay on demolition.
Last week, the court dismissed all but one case, directing the DDA to allot accommodation to one petitioner and re-examine 26 others within six weeks. DDA officials say they have complied with the allotment and are reviewing pending cases.
The remaining 344 structures at the site were mostly vacant and not protected by stay order, officials added. The land has been designated for a planned in-situ rehabilitation project for 4,500 residents of the nearby Navjeevan and Jawahar camps.