NEW DELHI: As the fear of eviction continued to grow deeper among the residents of areas designated as O-zones, the government on Tuesday stated that no demolition action would be taken against existing constructions in such areas. They added that the High Court has also notified the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in this regard.
Recently, O-zone signboards were put up at several locations across the Yamuna floodplain, a 22-km stretch extending from Wazirabad to Okhla. The area is home to lakhs of residents and includes century-old villages. The residents were served with eviction notices, which triggered concerns that the exercise could precede demolition drives against unauthorised constructions.
Under the Delhi Master Plan 2021, the Yamuna floodplain has been designated as an “O-zone”—a protected riverbed and floodplain where permanent brick-and-mortar construction is prohibited. The designation is intended to preserve the river’s natural flood-carrying capacity, allow the land to absorb excess water during high flows, and maintain the ecological balance of the floodplain.
BJP MPs had urged the L-G to remove the O-zone classification from dozens of ancient villages and 91 colonies. They stated that nearly 1.5 million residents living in there were facing uncertainty and anxiety. The MPs apprised the L-G of all relevant facts pertaining to the issue. It was pointed out that these ancient villages and colonies had already been regularised on March 24, 2008. At that time, these areas fell under the F-zone and not the O-zone.
CM Rekha Gupta chaired a meeting at the Secretariat on Tuesday regarding colonies located in the O-zone area. Gupta was informed that there are approximately 91 unauthorised colonies and a dozen old villages located in the ‘O-zone’ area, with a population of around 15 lakh people.
It was also noted that residents are apprehensive due to the signage installed by the administration; however, public representatives, after studying HC orders and government records, have concluded that existing structures in these colonies face no threat. The orders specifically mandate the demolition of only new or ongoing construction.
The public representatives also raised the issue of the notice boards installed by the authorities in colonies located in the O-zone area and said that the message displayed on them was creating confusion among residents. They further stated that certain elements were active in these colonies, frightening people while at the same time using the situation as a cover to carry out their illegal construction activities.
They also demanded concrete measures to protect the Yamuna floodplain from illegal construction. The representatives said that they had no objection to a complete ban on new construction in the O-zone area.
During the meeting, the CM sought clarification from senior DDA officials and said that the HC had not made any observations regarding constructions that had already been completed but had raised concerns about ongoing construction activities. The chief minister said that since the court had communicated its position to the DDA, the authority should act accordingly.
Officials asked to revise wording of installed boards
The chief minister said that she would soon meet Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) Manohar Lal along with public representatives to discuss the issue. She also asked DDA officials to revise the wording of the boards installed in the O-zone area in accordance with the court’s observations so that residents of these colonies do not face any unnecessary panic.
