13 hours ago
DDA carries out demolition drive near Loni
The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) along with other civic agencies on Wednesday morning demolished more than two dozen dwelling units located along Loni road's carriageway in Gokalpur area near North East Delhi amid heavy police presence.
The residents said that the settlement was established in the 1980s and authorities did not provide them with adequate advance notice. They claimed that they had been assured of more time, and alternative housing.
Natto Devi, 40, who claims to have been born and brought up in the area, said that they had earlier been assured of alternative housing. 'We had gotten a notice a month ago too, but when we approached the area MP, he assured us that it would happen after six months, after we all have been rehoused. We had also approached the chief minister, who had assured us of relief but when we reached here, we found that our houses were broken,' said Devi.
Many of the residents complained that the demolition process was not carried out properly. They stated that they were kicked out of their house before they could gather their belongings.
'They broke our closets and beds during the demolition. When we tried to re-enter our houses to take our things, the police hit us with Lathis,' said Devi. 'They have even taken the tarps we used to cover our houses,' said another resident.
The residents said that they had also not been allotted the alternative housing they were promised. 'For three years, the governments have promised us facilities and houses, but nothing has been done,' said Suresh Singh, 60, another resident. 'Now the police are not letting us put up tents here either. Where do we go?' he added.
When contacted, DDA did not respond to HT's queries for a comment
The encroachments near the Loni roundabout had earlier also been cited by the Public Works Department to be a key hurdle in starting the work for initiating Loni underpass. PWD had initially announced that the underpass would be ready by December 2024.
PWD in its official report in April had stated that an underpass is to be developed at the Loni roundabout and an administrative approval as well as expenditure sanction of ₹70 crore for the project was granted on September 30, 2022 but there are multiple hurdles along the alignment of the underpass such as cutting of trees and encroachments.
Delhi has witnessed spate of demolition drives in the recent months at places like Taimoor Nagar, Madrasi Camp, Bhoomiheen camp in Kalkaji. Wazirpur, Burari and Ashok Vihar among other places.
Former Delhi CM and LOP Atishi posted on X, 'Today, the BJP government is demolishing the houses of the poor with bulldozers all over Delhi. Met people in Tigdi-1 JJ cluster in Deoli and listened to their problems. Demolishing a house doesn't just mean snatching away a home, it means snatching away someone's dreams, their dignity, their rights. We stand firmly with the poor in this fight. This struggle will continue against the dictatorial government of BJP.'
The bjp declined to comment on the allegations made by the AAP.
