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

A bench consisting of Justice Pratibha Singh and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora heard a couple of applications filed by Madras Camp jewellers, who sought intervention in the relocation of their families to Narela. The court stated that the relocation of Madras Camp residents 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 the monsoon, the rehabilitation of the Madras Camp residents is also equally essential for the effective 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.