The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) reported on Saturday that about 1,200 square metres of government land were reclaimed during an “anti-encroachment drive” in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park region on Friday. It said that the drive was carried out amid heavy police security.
The DDA, which continued demolitions in Delhi’s Mehrauli neighbourhood for the second day on Saturday as part of its anti-encroachment campaign, added that the drive will continue. Meanwhile, the AAP government in Delhi has taken advantage of the situation to engage in petty politics and criticise the BJP, which controls the urban body.
“During the demolition programme on 10.02.2023, approximately 1200 sq m of government/DDA land has been reclaimed from the encroachers so far, and the exercise is on to reclaim the rest of the encroached government land for its rightful use by all citizens as a park,” the urban body said.
The action was taken as part of a demolition drive that will continue till March 9, officials said on Friday.
The DDA is looking into several three-to-four-story constructions that have sprouted up illegally in the Mehrauli Archeological Park region. The landowner had reportedly been given prior notice regarding the demolition.
Responding to allegations that the demolition drive was carried out in defiance of Delhi High Court orders, the urban body clarified that it will continue its anti-encroachment drive in Mehrauli because the Delhi High Court did not mention stopping demolitions in “all the plots” in its status-quo order.
“Court has not mentioned all the plots, so will return tomorrow to continue the demolition of those houses,” DDA was quoted by news agency ANI. It was referring to the Delhi high court’s order to maintain the status quo on 400 jhuggis of a slum colony in the area, as verified by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB).
The DDA launched the campaign on February 10 in collaboration with the Delhi Police to remove encroachment from the DDA’s land at Ladha Sarai hamlet, which is part of Mehrauli Archaeological Park.
This park is home to approximately 55 monuments that are protected by the ASI, Delhi’s state archaeological agency, and the DDA, according to a statement issued by the authority on Saturday.
Previously, a demolition order dated December 12, 2022, was plastered on the walls of the illegal structures in the area, along with markings that read, “encroachers to demolish all unauthorised construction from the land in question within 10 days.”
AAP Govt in Delhi plays petty politics over Mehrauli’s anti-encroachment drive
While the DDA continues its crackdown on illegal encroachments, the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi has begun politicising the matter.
The AAP government stated on Saturday that it will not allow the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to carry out its anti-encroachment drive in Mehrauli. It accused the Bharatiya Janata Party, under which the DDA operates, of exacting vengeance on the people of Delhi for its defeat in the MCD elections.
AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak said, “Right from this morning, the BJP is busy destroying the entire area of Mehrauli. Many videos have come from Mehrauli where people are crying and begging in front of police and the BJP to stop this atrocity.”
“When our MLAs Naresh Yadav and Somnath Bharti tried to go and find a solution, they were put in jail, and our councillor Rekha was also detained,” he said.
Despite knowing that the DDA is taking action on unlawful encroachments, the AAP politician, in continuation to his theatrics, invoked the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and linked it to the BJP’s ‘atrocities.’ He accused it of “replicating” what the British did during colonial rule.
Pathak said during the revolt of 1857, those Indians who supported the revolutionaries, were hanged and their homes were demolished; today, the BJP is doing the same in Delhi. “Aam Aadmi Party opposes this, no matter what happens, we will not allow a single slum to be demolished,” Pathak, who is the party’s MCD in-charge, added.
DDA ग़लत डिमार्केशन करके लोगों के घरों को डेमोलिशन कर रही है। आदरणीय @attorneybharti जी ने डिमार्केशन को चैलेंज कर रखा है और इसके लिए मंत्री @kgahlot जी ने डिमार्केशन के लिए आज 4 बजे मीटिंग भी बुलाई हुई है लेकिन DDA महरौली के लोगों के साथ अन्याय कर रही है
— Naresh Yadav MLA AAP (@MLA_NareshYadav) February 10, 2023
Encl-Minister’s Notice pic.twitter.com/WtdqSmmvly
Meanwhile, another AAP MLA Naresh Yadav called the drive an “injustice” to the people in the area.
