Tears and despair in Khyber Pass as bulldozers flatten homes

New Delhi, August 4
Residents of Khyber Pass in the Civil Lines here woke up on Sunday to the sight of bulldozers stationed in the neighbourhood, ready to raze their houses that not only contained their belongings but also memories.
The demolition drive was carried out by the Land and Development Office.

Living here for 70 years
I have been living here for 70 years. I built this house and shop with my hard-earned money and today, it is gut-wrenching to see the house being demolished. — Bhupinder Singh Bhatia, a resident

Bhupinder Singh Bhatia, who used to run a small shop near his house, stared at the debris with despair.
“I have been living here for 70 years. I built this house and shop with my hard-earned money and today, it is gut-wrenching to see the house being demolished,” Bhatia said.
Shahana Begum (55) said she has been living in the area for decades now. “Last month, they demolished my house in the Civil Lines area and today, they demolished my daughter’s house,” she said.
While some houses and shops were demolished on Sunday, area residents said many of them have received notices about demolition to be carried out in the coming days.
Mohit Gupta, a father of two, said his children are studying in a nearby school but he is worried about their future.
Pointing towards his shop, he said, “This is my only shop, ‘Gupta Store’, which will be demolished on August 13. I am worried as to how will I earn and support my family,” he said.
Gupta said he has shifted to Burari for the time being amid the demolition scare. “The rent there is so high that all my savings are spent paying it,” he rued.
Nisha, who returned from Dubai on Saturday after learning about the demolition of her parents’ house, said, “Where will I take my family now? My father doesn’t keep well. They razed my house in no time and many useful things have been destroyed.”
A petition in this regard was filed in the HC in 2010 and the court had directed that “no coercive steps be taken” against the petitioners. However, the petitioners filed an application in the matter for clarification, after the authorities passed an order earlier this year threatening removal of alleged unauthorised occupation and construction from the area. — PTI