The Delhi High Court has postponed demolition of an unauthorised Madrasi camp located on the Barahpulla drain bank near Jangpura by three weeks, starting from its scheduled date of May 10, to June 1. The authorities issued a demolition notice for this jhuggi-jhopri (JJ) cluster to remove encroachment and unauthorised construction on the Barahpullah drain and further declog it.

A bench consisting of Justice Pratibha Singh and Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora heard a couple of applications filed by Madras Camp Jewellers, who seek intervention in the relocation of their families to Narela. The court said that this relocation of Madras Camp residences is ‘of utmost urgency and significance, particularly in light of the approaching monsoon season.’

Problems In Relocation

The slum dwellers also highlighted that the flats built for rehabilitation in Narela lack basic amenities.

While it is imperative to clean the Barapullah drain to prevent waterlogging during monsoon, the rehabilitation of the Madras Camp jeweller is also equally essential for the declogging of the drain.

A total of 370 jhuggi-jhopris make up the Madras camp, but only 189 dwellers have been found eligible for rehabilitation under the Delhi slum Rehabilitation and Relocation Policy, 2015.