DDA has issued fresh demolition notices asking slum residents in Batla House to vacate by July 17; Thousands face homelessness
NEW DELHI — A fresh wave of fear has spread across the Batla House area in Okhla after the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) pasted new notices ordering the removal of thousands of slums near the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. Residents, many of whom have been living in these settlements for over two decades, now face the threat of being left homeless within just a few days.
The notices, which appeared over the weekend, direct all occupants to vacate their homes by 17 July. If they fail to do so, a demolition drive is scheduled to begin on July 18 and continue on July 19.
“I’ve been living here for 21 years. I collect garbage to feed my children. If they destroy our homes, where will we go?” asked Abdul, a resident of the slum cluster, holding the notice in his hand. His voice trembled with worry. “We are poor, but we are not criminals. Don’t treat us like this.”
Most residents said they had no prior information about any plan to remove them. “No one came to speak to us before this. One day, they just pasted these notices. That too on a Sunday when government offices are closed,” said Sabira, a widow and mother of four. “Are we not citizens of this country?”
She pointed to the tin-roofed shanty she called home. “This may be small, but it is everything we have. If they destroy it, we will sleep on the road.”
The slums in question lie near the construction zone of the ambitious Delhi-Mumbai Expressway project, which is being developed from Sarai Kale Khan and passing through parts of South Delhi. According to the DDA, the demolition is necessary to make way for a service road and related infrastructure.
The sudden appearance of the notices has caught everyone off guard. “We were not even informed verbally. The notices were just pasted on the walls,” said Ayub Khan, another resident. “There was no camp, no survey, no warning. It is as if they want to erase us overnight.”
The notice, signed by DDA officials, cites unauthorised occupation and illegal construction as grounds for removal. But residents argue that they have documents proving their long-term stay in the area, including electricity bills, voter IDs, and ration cards.
“They say we are illegal, but they took our votes every election. They gave us electricity connections. They took bribes when we built roofs,” claimed Shanno Begum. “Now suddenly they remember we are illegal?”
The demolition appears linked to ongoing construction of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, a major infrastructure project aimed at reducing travel time and boosting trade. The area in question falls under the Yamuna floodplain zone, where several unauthorised settlements have existed for years.
Officials have argued that these areas are not legally habitable, especially due to the risk of flooding and the need for public infrastructure. But critics say poor residents are being unfairly targeted.
Advocate Faisal Qureshi, who has been advising some of the slum dwellers, said, “The issue is not just legality. It is also about human rights. You cannot displace families without rehabilitation. This is not just a technical matter of road-building. These are people’s lives.”
Residents also complained that local politicians have remained silent. “Where are our MLAs and councillors now?” asked Sadiq Ali, a daily wage worker. “They come for votes, but now when we need them, they are missing.”
A woman, clutching her sleeping baby, added bitterly, “No one is listening. Not even the media. We are poor, and that’s why no one cares.”
When asked for a comment, a DDA official said on condition of anonymity, “These demolitions are part of a planned development. The area falls under public land, and illegal encroachments must be removed. We are following legal procedures.”
A similar situation is unfolding in nearby Muradi Road, also part of the Batla House area, where residents had previously received demolition notices. In that case, residents approached the court and secured a temporary stay. The next hearing is scheduled for 6 November.
Advocate Qureshi confirmed, “In Muradi Road, the court recognised that the matter needed deeper hearing. We are now planning to file a similar petition for Batla House slums.”
Legal experts are now helping the affected families draft petitions and collect documents. “We are racing against time,” said Nargis, a social worker. “It is very hard to explain legal matters to people who are not literate. But they are scared and willing to fight.”
Some residents are even raising funds to hire lawyers. “We don’t eat for a day, that’s okay. But we must try to save our homes,” said Nasir, a rickshaw puller.
The legal battle is expected to be difficult. Past cases in Delhi have shown that unauthorised settlements often lose out in court, especially when infrastructure projects are involved. Still, the residents remain hopeful.
For most, the biggest fear is immediate homelessness. “Where will we go with our children? We cannot afford rent. We cannot return to the villages. Our work is here,” said 45-year-old Sakeena, who has lived in the slum since her marriage.
Even as bulldozers prepare to move in, there are no signs of alternative housing or rehabilitation efforts. “No one from the government has spoken to us about where we can go,” said Aslam, a sanitation worker. “If they give us a place, we will go. But they are just throwing us out like dogs.”
Children too are worried. “My school is nearby. If we leave, I may have to drop out,” said 13-year-old Imran, a student in Class 7. “I want to study and become a teacher.”
Elderly residents, many of whom moved here decades ago, feel helpless. “I am too old to run or sleep on footpaths. Let them at least give us some time,” said 70-year-old Rafiq.
The DDA has not announced any plans for relocation or compensation. In previous demolitions, similar silence led to protests and human rights complaints. It remains to be seen whether a larger outcry will stop the planned demolition this time.
Some local NGOs have appealed to the authorities to act with compassion. “These are the poorest of the poor. At least talk to them. At least offer them something before removing them,” said activist Meena Kumari from the Okhla Jan Adhikar Manch.
She added, “Demolishing homes without rehabilitation is not just wrong — it is dangerous. It can lead to anger, unrest, and deep suffering.”
Meanwhile, residents wait anxiously. Some are packing. Others pray for a miracle. Most simply don’t know what to do.
As Abdul put it, “This is our life. We are not asking for bungalows. Just don’t make us homeless.”
