Delhi Development Authority defers demolition drive in Majnu ka Tila

New Delhi, July 13

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has deferred the demolition drive on the Yamnua flood plains near the Majnu ka Tila gurdwara, sources said on Saturday.

According to a senior police officer, a demolition drive was conducted at Khyber Pass near Civil Lines to remove encroachment on Saturday.

Some temporary structures, which were illegally made on the land of Land and Development Office, were demolished, the police said.

Where should we go?

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Our family is living here for long time. We received a notice around five to six months ago that the demolition will take place here. Several kids here go to schools. Where will we take them now? — Kavita

Sunita, a resident of the Khyber Pass area, said, “We have been living here for several decades. We have no other place to go. We want a house where we can live.”

Children of Kavita, another resident, were yet to return from school when her house was razed. “Our family is living here for long time. We received a notice around five to six months ago that the demolition will take place here. Several kids here go to schools. Where will we take them now,” Kavita said.

The DDA had in a public notice on Thursday said it would undertake a demolition drive in the area on July 13 and 14.

People in Majnu ka Tila, where there is a sizable population of Pakistani Hindus, said they received the notice from the land owning agency late Thursday evening asking them to vacate the area by Friday.

The notice referred to the National Green Tribunal’s April 3 order and the Delhi High Court’s March 12 order behind the move.