Hundreds left homeless in Delhi's searing heatwave as authorities raze Govindpuri slum

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a day ago

Among the many despondent residents was 45-year-old Satyawati, a domestic worker who was born and raised in the very camp now turned into rubble.
The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) said that 344 jhuggi constructions, the majority of which were uninhabited, were demolished on its encroached land and that there was no stay by any court.
New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI) As bulldozers rolled in before dawn at the Bhoomiheen jhuggi-jhopri camp in south Delhi's Govindpuri on Wednesday, families scrambled to gather their meagre belongings in the dark. By the time the sun was up, hundreds were left homeless in the searing heatwave of the national capital.
'I was born here. My parents died here. I don't live with my husband, so I take care of my 16-year-old daughter and son alone,' she told PTI.
'We have been on the road since morning. We have not eaten. It's too hot still I have come to Tughlaqabad to see if I can find a room on rent,' said Satyawati, with exhaustion evident in her voice and on her face.
Satyawati washed utensils in nearby bungalows for Rs 6,000–7,000 a month. But today, she is unsure how she will make it through even this week.
'We thought the demolition would start at 10 am or 11 am, but they came at 5 am. People were still asleep,' she said.
The demolition drive comes as Delhi reels under a severe heatwave. The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert, with temperatures touching 45.5 degrees Celsius in parts of the city.
For the residents now out on the streets, the timing of DDA action has only added to their misery.
'We have nowhere to go,' said another woman resident, her belongings piled in plastic bags beside her. 'There were promises of Jahan Jhuggi Wahan Makaan, but we were never allotted any flat. Now we will have to live on the road,' she claimed.
Most of the camp's residents are migrant workers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
The DDA had issued notices to the residents on June 9, giving them three days to vacate.
'All residents of Bhoomiheen Camp, Kalkaji Extension, were informed as per court directions that illegal clusters would be demolished,' a notice had said.
The area was cordoned off by police and paramilitary forces as the demolition began. 'We have deployed adequate force to ensure peaceful execution of the drive. No one will be allowed to breach law and order,' an official said.
The Bhoomiheen Camp has faced multiple demolition drives — earlier in May and in July 2023. This latest action follows the dismissal of writ petitions by the Delhi High Court, according to the DDA.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, responding to criticism by the opposition, said the government could not override court orders.
'Displaced families are being provided accommodation,' she said on Sunday. However, many residents claimed that they have received no help so far.
With the mercury rising, the displaced residents now face an even greater battle — surviving the streets in the grip of a deadly heatwave. PTI MHS SSM RT
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.