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The Delhi High Court today issued notice on an application by Sarojini Nagar Jhuggi Jhopri Vikas Samiti seeking a direction to restrain the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs from removing the slum dwellers on account of the Sarojini Nagar Redevelopment Project.

The bench led by Justice Subramonium Prasad was hearing a petition by the petitioner Samiti seeking relocation and rehabilitation of slum dwellers, whose homes are being destroyed for the Sarojini Nagar redevelopment project.

Adv Kamlesh Kumar Mishra for the petitioners submitted that “some of the slum dwellers are being threatened by the NBCC that they will be removed. Justice Palli’s order says that “my Ingress and regress will not be disturbed.”

Justice Prasad said that on the original plea there was no stay on the project and hence no order could be passed.

 “There is no stay on redevelopment. Now you cannot say that till you are rehabilitated there will be no redevelopment. The question on how you have to be relocated or when you have to be relocated depends on the planning authority.” said Justice Prasad.

Mishra however urged the Court to issue notice on the application restraining the authorities from removing the slum dwellers.

The bench accordingly issued notice and listed the matter for hearing in August.

In March, the single-judge bench of Justice Pratibha Singh had  issued notices to the Delhi government, the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board and the Centre on the plea seeking directed the Delhi government's Land Development Office to treat the plea as a representation and inform the petitioner of its plans to rehabilitate affected slum dwellers, if it had any at all.

Though the Court had issued notices in the matter, it had declined to stay the ongoing work of the redevelopment project.

 

Case Title: Sarojini Nagar Jhuggi Jhopri Vikas Samiti vs Government of NCT Delhi and Ors W.P.(C) 3796/2021