NEW DELHI: The demolition drive undertaken by Delhi Development Authority in Mehrauli on Friday saw hundreds of people coming out in protest against the land owning agency for first permitting constructions to “prosper through corruption” and then threatening them with demolition.DDA demolished two shanties and a five-storey unoccupied building in Mehrauli. When the drive moved further into the area, the residents of around eight housing complexes, each with 15-25 flats, gathered on the road to prevent further razing and then approached a court for relief.The residents said that they were being penalised for no fault of theirs as their flats had been built in the past five years under the very nose of the administration. In its notice to the residents, ASI said the reason for the demolition was that the land on which the houses were built was part of the Mehrauli Archaeological Park.Gagan Deep, who lives in Pearl Residency, said, “This society’s construction was completed in 2020 and we purchased the flat in 2021. Where was DDA in the years when the flats were being constructed? Even when we registered the property and paid the municipal tax, no one told us anything, so it cannot be our fault.”Most flats on the lane where the demolition exercise was carried out are five to seven years old. Jyoti Dandwal of Green Apartments said, “We purchased our flat from a builder. DDA carried out a demarcation in 2014, but is now saying its demarcation of 2021 is the right one.” KN Bhagat, who lives in Lajwanti Residency, said he spent his entire pension fund of Rs 30 lakh to purchase his flat in 2018. “When it was being constructed, DDA people did come to the site. But why did they not stop the building then? It has a lift and everyone knows a lift can be installed only with permission of the civic agencies. If the building was illegal, how did this happen?” he fumed.Sumana Singha purchased a flat in Green Apartments in 2019. The society came up in 2015. “Why are they snatching people’s homes? We followed the legal procedure by applying for electricity connection, getting the flat registered, etc. What wrong did we do?” Singha asked. “Also, what development does DDA envisage by depriving thousands of their homes?”The incensed residents of the eight apartment complexes not only got the demolition drive halted, but also later got a stay order from Delhi High Court. The court will hear the matter on February 16.DDA defended sending the demolition notices to the residents by saying it was done in compliance with court directions. A senior agency official said that a survey was carried out in 2021 and the area falling under the Mehrauli Archaeological Park was demarcated. “This is a protected area, and the whole parcel of land belongs to the archaeological park,” the official said. “The demarcation of forest land was completed as per court orders. It was following this that the demolition action was planned.”
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/as-bulldozers-roll-in-mehrauli-residents-question-why-now/articleshow/97808818.cms
