Residents of Jamia Nagar in South Delhi claim properties marked for demolition without legal grounds
NEW DELHI – Residents of Muradi Road in Batla House, a densely populated part of Jamia Nagar in South Delhi, are living in fear after the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) pasted demolition notices on hundreds of houses, warning of bulldozer action from 11 June 2025.
The warning came after a Supreme Court verdict on 7 May in favour of DDA’s claim over Khasra number 279, declaring it an encroached land. However, residents allege that the DDA has now wrongly issued notices to houses built on Khasra numbers 281 to 285 as well — plots not covered under the court’s verdict.
“I have lived here since my childhood. My parents built this house over 50 years ago. Now they’re telling us to vacate it as if we’re criminals,” said Khalid Jameel, a 62-year-old shop owner whose home has been marked by DDA staff.
Hundreds of families are in shock. Many have been living here for generations. They say no proper survey has been done, no prior hearings were held, and no alternative housing has been offered.
“We are not against the law. But what law is this where one order is passed for Khasra 279, and you come to remove people from other areas too?” asked Shabana Begum, a widow living with her two daughters. “Where will we go in just a few days? The government treats us like we’re not even humans.”
Residents say that the entire locality now feels tense. Some children have stopped going to school out of fear. Shopkeepers say they’ve seen a drop in daily footfall since the notices appeared.
Local leaders and activists are preparing to file a fresh petition in the Supreme Court, alleging DDA has gone beyond the land specified in the court order.
Mohammad Tanveer, a community organiser, told Clarion India: “The court order clearly names Khasra 279. But DDA has targeted other undisputed plots. They’re abusing their power. This is illegal.”
He added, “We have documents, electricity bills, voter ID cards — how can DDA call this land illegal now?”
Many in Batla House say the timing and manner of the notices are ominous. With elections approaching in Bihar and then Uttar Pradesh, they reckon this is a way to spread fear among Muslim voters.
“This is not happening in other illegal colonies. Why only in a Muslim-majority area like Jamia Nagar?” asked Iqbal Khan, a retired school teacher. “It’s clear they want to show bulldozers in Muslim areas just to gain political mileage.”
The comparison to other areas in Delhi, where unauthorised colonies are still waiting for regularisation, is hard to ignore. Locals point out that despite announcements of legalising thousands of houses elsewhere, Batla House is facing destruction.
Muradi Road and the surrounding Batla House area have seen development over the decades. Initially set up in the late 1960s, the locality became home to migrants, daily-wage workers, and middle-class families. Over time, the area grew, and people invested their life savings into building homes.
“We bought this land with receipts from the earlier landowners. Nobody told us it was illegal,” said Naseem Ahmed, who runs a bookshop. “If it was DDA land, why did they wait 50 years to take it back?”
Despite repeated attempts by locals and journalists, DDA officials have not held any public meeting to clarify their actions. Notices were pasted quietly, with no officer coming forward to explain why homes outside the court order are being marked.
A senior DDA official, when contacted by phone, said, “We are following court orders and acting within legal limits.” He refused to give details about why other Khasra numbers were included.
Advocates representing the affected families say they are preparing to file a petition demanding a stay on demolitions.
For many residents of Batla House, this situation has brought back memories of previous bulldozer actions in other Muslim areas in the country. Several compare this to Jahangirpuri, where bulldozers were used in 2022 just after communal tensions.
“Do Muslims not have the right to shelter in this country?” asked Farzana, a school teacher. “Is it our crime that we are poor and Muslim?”
Several students from Jamia Millia Islamia University, located nearby, have come out in support of the residents. A protest march is being planned on the campus, demanding that demolitions be halted and the notices withdrawn.
The affected families are uniting and collecting documents to challenge the DDA’s action. Legal aid teams and rights activists have also started visiting homes.
“We will not be silent. We will go to the courts, to the streets, wherever needed. They cannot treat us like dirt,” said Advocate Faizan Siddiqui, who is representing many local families pro bono.
He added, “DDA’s action is unlawful. The Supreme Court did not permit to destruction of homes outside the specified land. They are misusing the order to drive poor Muslims away.”
Surprisingly, no major political party has come forward on the situation. Residents say they feel abandoned.
“There was a time when leaders used to come to us. Now, no one even issues a tweet. Maybe because we are Muslims?” asked Sajid Iqbal, a local journalist.
He added, “This is not just about land. It’s about dignity. You can’t erase a whole neighbourhood just like that.”
If no action is taken by 11 June, DDA’s bulldozers will enter Batla House and begin demolishing structures. Local organisations have called for an urgent intervention by the Lieutenant Governor and the Delhi Chief Minister, but no official response has come yet.
Until then, residents wait anxiously, guarding their homes, hoping someone in power will listen.
As 65-year-old Razia Begum, whose house has been marked for demolition, says tearfully, “I have lived here for most of my life. My grandchildren were born here. If this house is broken, it’s like breaking my soul.”
