NEW DELHI: Clearing the decks for removal of slum-dwellers living near PM’s official residence at Lok Kalyan Marg, Delhi High Court Monday said eviction of unauthorised occupants from govt land doesn’t violate the rights to shelter and livelihood, as long as they are rehabilitated properly.HC refused to interfere with the eviction of residents of three slum clusters — Bhai Ram Camp, DID Camp and Masjid Camp — but ordered the civic agencies to ensure those being relocated to Savda Ghevra get access to all facilities, including sanitation, water and schools.Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav asked the petitioner residents to vacate the camps within 15 days, observing they were first served eviction notices by the Land and Development Office in Oct 2025, and sufficient time has elapsed since. HC also acknowledged the concerns raised by govt, which had argued the slum cluster sat in a protected zone, bordering an operational IAF station, and the decision to remove unauthorised construction was taken to strengthen and secure defence infrastructure and for other important public and security purposes.“The court finds that, considering contemporary geopolitical events, national security concerns of the respondents satisfy as specific reasons for eviction of the petitioners. It ought not to be too eager to interfere with such executive policy decisions,” Justice Kaurav stated.Centre, represented by standing counsel Syed Abdul Haseeb, had argued in-situ rehabilitation is not possible in the present case owing to lack of alternative accommodation in the vicinity, and therefore, a decision was taken to shift 717 dwellers in the three slums to Savda Ghevra instead.To minimise problems faced by the dwellers in their relocation, HC asked the authorities to ensure compliance with the DUSIB policy and protocol on rehabilitation, and clarified that those who were yet to accept their alternative allotment shall immediately obtain their allotment letter upon due verification of documents and take possession of the allotted flats at Savda Ghevra.The residents, some of whom had challenged the eviction in HC, said the alternative accommodation was far from the present camps, which put their livelihoods in danger and affected their children’s education.However, HC noted the land in question belonged to central govt, and the Army and the IAF were currently occupying it. It also recorded that 192 dwellers had accepted allotment letters and 136 had taken possession of the allotted flats, and said that to direct the authorities to re-conduct the exercise of the draw of lots would put the clock back on the persons who have accepted the allotted flats and would be detrimental to their interests.HC took note of Centre’s stand that it has already released over Rs 65 crore to DUSIB for reservation of flats at Savda Ghevra.While standard DUSIB policy requires each beneficiary to pay a Rs 1,2,000 contribution and a five-year maintenance cost of Rs 30,000 in such cases, the ‘beneficiary contribution’ component payable by petitioners has been substantially relaxed and will be borne by the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs.
