A demolition drive was launched in Shalimar Bagh, the Assembly segment of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, on Sunday to remove encroachments from the government land for widening of Road No. 320 after getting nod from the Supreme Court.
The drive, being carried out in the Haiderpur area of Shalimar Bagh, targets 143 unauthorised permanent structures identified within the prescribed 30-metre right of way of the road. The authorities said the action aimed at easing traffic congestion and improving the movement of emergency services along a key corridor connecting the Shalimar Bagh Railway Under Bridge with the Outer Ring Road.
According to officials, the land was acquired in 1980 and compensation was paid to landowners. A joint survey conducted by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Revenue Department, Land and Building Department and Public Works Department found that nearly 10.5 metres of the sanctioned road width was under encroachment.
North-Central Delhi District Magistrate Shailendra Singh Parihar said the administration had followed due process before initiating the drive. “This land was acquired in 1980 and the residents were compensated. Notices were issued and hearings were conducted. Around 157 people submitted applications and all claims were examined. None of the residents’ names appeared in the recorded title deeds,” Parihar said.
He added that the road becomes significantly narrower at the encroached stretch, causing traffic bottlenecks and waterlogging during the monsoon.
“In the Master Plan, this road is 30 metres wide, which narrows in the middle. This causes problems during heavy rains and leads to waterlogging. Keeping these issues in mind, we tried to convince the people to come forward for the development of society,” he said.
The demolition follows a prolonged legal battle. Officials said residents had challenged the action before the Delhi High Court, which dismissed their plea. A review petition was also rejected. Subsequently, the residents approached the Supreme Court, which dismissed their Special Leave Petition on May 29, clearing the way for the road widening project.
Parihar said the administration had adopted the principle of minimum displacement while implementing the project.
“Although the approved right of way is 30 metres, action is being taken only in the necessary 10.5-metre area in the current phase to minimise displacement,” Parihar said.
Heavy security arrangements were made for the operation. DCP (North-West) Akansha Yadav said 10 companies of security personnel, including teams from the Rapid Action Force (RAF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Delhi Police had been deployed.
“In compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions, a demolition drive is being carried out to remove encroachments from the government land. Extensive arrangements have been made for the operation. Drone videography, mobile cyber units and control room teams have also been deployed. The situation is fully under control,” Yadav said.
The administration has also announced relief measures for affected families. Eligible households will receive a one-time ex-gratia payment of Rs 3 lakh, while families without alternative accommodation in Delhi will be offered temporary licence-based housing for up to 11 months at Savda Ghevra.
Officials said the widening of Road No. 320 is a critical public infrastructure project that will improve traffic flow, facilitate emergency services and benefit lakhs of commuters in north-west Delhi.
AAP, Cong criticize BJP
AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj criticised the demolition drive, alleging that homes of ordinary residents were being razed while the issue received little attention. Sharing videos from the site, he said, “These are houses of normal citizens in Shalimar Bagh being demolished, thousands of policemen, paramilitary guarding and helpless people watching.”
The Delhi Congress also attacked the BJP government, with party spokesperson Naresh Kumar alleging that nearly 200 homes had been demolished in CM Gupta’s segment. The Congress submitted a memorandum to the Lieutenant Governor, seeking rehabilitation of affected families or compensation at current market rates and accused the BJP of pursuing an “anti-poor” policy.
