The Sunder Nursery slum in Nizamuddin was a place where over 1500 underprivileged residents who have been primarily engaged in occupations like e-rickshaw driving, selling fruits, vegetables, domestic work, and labour, resided. The basti saw demolition by the Land and Development Office (L&DO) under the control of the Central government which left scores of families without a roof above their head. The demolition followed a court order that the Delhi High Court declined to reconsider, pertaining to the ‘jhuggi jhopri’ cluster next to Sunder Nursery near DPS Mathura Road in New Delhi. Occupied by 1000 to 1500 people, the slum was razed after the court directive, rendering hundreds of families homeless.
Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj criticised the Centre for its role in the demolition, particularly through the Land and Development Office (LNDO), alleging a “cruel stand” taken in the high court. Bharadwaj further spoke about the Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) responsibility to rehabilitate the impoverished residents before dismantling their homes.
The petitioners, representing the slum dwellers, had sought a review of a February 18, 2019 order. However, the Delhi high court dismissed the plea for a demolition in the last week of November. The residents have petitioned that the court had made a mistake in concluding that the jhuggi jhopri cluster was non-existent before January 1, 2006, as they have presented evidence like telephone bills, Aadhaar cards, and election cards that assert otherwise. The court’s refusal to reconsider its decision has left the displaced community grappling harsh realities and spectre of homelessness in the winter.
According to Hindustan Times, who reported on November 23 that the residents of the slum have requested more time so that they can relocate, “We don’t have a problem with the demolition but the officials need to give us some time so that we can shift our belongings. People should be given space in shelters till they can find another place to stay.” However, these pleas fell to no effect. According to a report by the Observer Post, the demolition arrived as a brutal blow to the residents as it demolished their homes. Many of them have bemoaned how their children’s studies will be ruined by this displacement, amidst other things.
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