NEW DELHI: A large number of residents of the Transit Camp at Kalkaji in South Delhi on Tuesday confronted the Delhi Development Authority team which had gone there for demolition and survey work and prevented it from implementing orders of the High Court which had directed that they move out their possessions by Monday so that the demolitions could be carried out from May 9 to May 11.

Though a large police contingent accompanied the DDA team, it was no match for the local residents who put up a strong resistance and prevented a survey of the area for determining dwellers who are eligible for alternate allotment. According to sources, a DDA team had also gone to the site on Monday for the survey work but even they had been unable to do anything in the face of public opposition.

Sources said DDA is in a hurry as it has to file a status report in the High Court on May 16. On the other hand the residents are resisting any survey or demolition as the camp -- which came up over 20 years ago -- now houses a lot of people who had purchased the premises from the original settlers and subsequent buyers.

Residents of Transit Camp, a resettlement colony, had been warned, through notices put up by DDA on May 5 that their houses will be demolished as per High Court orders.

They had been warned to move out their possessions by May 8, so that the demolition work could start. However, the residents charged, there was no announcement on how and where they will be resettled.

Subsequently, on May 5 evening, the residents had gathered in the colony's Ram Lila Maidan and resolved to oppose the DDA action. During the meet, Bijju Nayak and Sucharita of Lok Raj Sangathan, had stressed the need for people to remain united and a "Transit Camp Bachao Sangharsh Morcha'' was formed to lead the struggle and taking joint decisions.

It was pointed out that the Transit Camp was originally established in 1985, when people from various slum colonies all over Delhi were resettled there, following clearing up of their slums by Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The residents claim that proper papers, indicating settlement, were allotted to some 1,720 families at that time.

These families were settled here with the view that the government would later resettle them in an appropriate place. However, for 20 years, nothing happened. And now, the residents insist, there is naturally both panic and anger among them as they are being uprooted.

DDA sources said since the High Court decision is based on the idea that in the 1960 Master Plan for Delhi, the area in which Transit Camp falls lies within the green belt, they would be persisting with the drive in the days to come.

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