NEW DELHI: Residents of Sanjay Basti at Timarpur here in the Capital -- where 40 shops and houses were demolished on March 6 this year -- claim that the whole exercise has been characterised by a lack of sensitivity, transparency and respect for the provisions of the law and policy.

Some residents of the Basti -- that has over 2,000 houses -- have petitioned the High Court for an impleadment to the ongoing Kalyan Sanstha Social Welfare Organisation versus Union of India and Others case, where they have pleaded that "demolition" of their houses and their "forced eviction" was being done without following the principles of natural justice tantamount to violations of fundamental rights.

"We have been staying here from 1987 onwards. We have even been issued ration cards and have been covered under various welfare schemes like the immunisation programme. We have no evidence whatsoever that the demolition of Sanjay Basti would serve any public purpose," the petitioners said.

The matter was listed for hearing in the High Court on April 25 but it could not come up for hearing due to overload of cases. It will now be heard on May 2. That has added to the confusion of the residents since the CPWD notice on the second phase of demolitions stated that residents have to vacate the land by April 27 or face demolition. "We do not know if the entire Basti would be demolished or only some structures. We have no clue if we would be relocated to another place in the event of demolition and on what basis this allocation will take place or when and where such plots will be located," the residents complained.

The impending demolition of Sanjay Basti violated the new Master Plan as well as the Slum Policy of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, according to housing rights activist Malavika Vartak.

"The Master Plan for Delhi, 2021, that has statutory force declares and mandates a policy of in situ upgradation or relocation as per strict specifications of all slum and JJ clusters and squatter settlements in the event of demolition. Clearly, the CPWD has not adhered to the Master Plan in this case. Also, the Central Government had place a one-year moratorium on demolition in May past year. This demolition at Sanjay Basti is incompatible with that decision," Ms. Vartak pointed out.

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