JOIN THE LCW
COMMUNITY

Exclusive monthly policy briefs, stories from the ground, quarterly analytics report, curated expert talks, merchandise and much more. Support our work!

Sign up today

DDA Demolishes Houses in East Delhi for Riverfront Development, Residents Seek Rehabilitation

Reported by

Nupur Sonar

Legal Review by

Edited by

Updated by

Published on

May 21, 2019

May 17, 2022

Edited on

May 21, 2019

State

Delhi

Sector

Industry

People Affected by Conflict

2640

Households Affected by Conflict

Land Area Affected (in Hectares)

76

ha

Starting Year

2018

Location of Conflict

Bela Estate

East Delhi

Reason or Cause of Conflict

Tourism

Riverfront development

Land Conflict Summary

Bela Estate is a slum cluster located on the western bank of the Yamuna. Its subareas include China Colony, Bela Gaon, Moolchand Basti, Malla Gaon and Kanchanpuri. The area falls under the first phase of the Yamuna Riverfront Development Project, under which the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) plans to build a biodiversity park and lake over an area of 189 acres. In May 2018, 550 houses in China Colony and Moolchand Basti were demolished for the project. Prior to that, in 2015, the DDA demolished 80 houses on the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to clear encroachments on the Yamuna floodplains, but it failed to rehabilitate the affected people. Following these demolitions, the residents of the area obtained a stay order on the demolition drive from the Delhi high court and sought their right to be rehabilitated under the Rehabilitation Policy, 2015, of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB). Nonrehabilitation of occupants for demolition of houses that existed prior to 2015 is against the DUSIB Policy. The petition [W.P. (C) 5214/2018] is currently being heard (see HRLN report attached). The residents of Bela Estate, mostly smallscale farmers who grow rice, wheat, vegetables, herbs and flowers and workers from the informal sector, have witnessed at least 15 demolition drives since 2006 and have been living under the threat of eviction without rehabilitation. In 2016, they protested at the Delhi Secretariat where a delegation submitted an application to stop the demolitions, which it claimed did not follow the due process of law. The authorities assured them verbally but did not give anything in writing. According to news reports, the land they farm on was leased for collective cropping and grazing by the Delhi Improvement Trust, a precursor to the DDA ,to the Delhi Peasants Cooperative Society (DPCS), which in turn had allotted it to the older generations of the current occupants in 1949. The DPCS would collect rent from farmers to pay to the DIT, and the arrangement continued when the DDA was formed in 1957. In 1966, the leases formally expired, and the DDA allegedly sent out eviction notices to the allottees in 1991, 25 years after the expiry. Residents, however, claim that the first set of eviction notices were only sent out in 2004, before the start of the Commonwealth Games. In 2015, some of the residents received allotment letters for land in Bawana as part of their rehabilitation, while others did not. In September 2020, the DDA conducted a threeday demolition drive at Asita East side near Yamuna bank following an earlier NGT order. The DDA claimed to have retrieved 5,000 square metres of land. According to a news report published in January 2021, volunteers from Bandhua Mukti Morcha have been conducting a survey in an attempt to collect vital information regarding proof of addresses from the residents which would aid their claims for rehabilitation. The residents have been filling in forms documenting the last proof of address issued to them. The documents are also supplemented with photographic evidence. As per the report, the initiative received 98 forms from Kanchanpuri, 80 from Bela Estate, 120 from Moolchand Colony part 1, and more than 250 from Moolchand Colony part 2.

Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for rehabilitation

Demand for legal recognition of land rights

Complaint against procedural violations

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Complaint against forcible evictions

Region Classification

Urban

Type of Land

Common

Type of Common Land

Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

Total investment involved (in Crores):

200

Type of investment:

Cost of Project

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

Legal Data

Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict

Procedural Laws, Other

Legislations/Policies Involved

Delhi Slum & JJ Rehabilitation and Relocation Policy, 2015
Section 2(a)(i) [Jhuggis that have come up in JJ Basti before January 1, 2015, shall not be demolished without providing alternate housing]; Section 2(a)(iii) [The DUSIB shall provide alternate accommodation to those living in JJ Bastis either on the same land or in the vicinity within a radius of five kilometres]
National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2011
Section 3(1)(a) [The Union government shall make policies and guidelines for the orderly relocation and rehabilitation of slum dwellers in a sustainable, planned and humane manner]
Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board Act, 2010
Section 10(2) [Every scheme for rehabilitation of the residents of JJ Bastis shall specify the cost of the new houses allotted to them and the criteria for eligibility for resettlement]
  1. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  2. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  3. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  4. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  5. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  6. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  7. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute

No

What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?

What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?

Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:

Non-rehabilitation of displaced people

Lack of legal protection over land rights

Forced evictions/dispossession of land

Delay in allottment and possession of land/property

Legal Status:

In Court

Status of Case In Court

Pending

Whether any adjudicatory body was approached

Yes

Name of the adjudicatory body

Name(s) of the Court(s)

High Court of Delhi

Case Number

W.P.(C.) 5214/2018

Main Reasoning/Decision of court

Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:

Displacement

Whether criminal law was used against protestors:

No

Reported Details of the Violation:

In May 2018, 550 houses in China Colony and Moolchand Basti were demolished for the project. Prior to that, in 2015, the DDA demolished 80 houses on the orders of the National Green Tribunal to clear encroachments on the Yamuna floodplains, but it failed to rehabilitate the affected people. The residents of Bela Estate have witnessed at least 15 demolition drives since 2006 and have been living under the threat of eviction without rehabilitation.

Date of Violation

Location of Violation

Additional Information

Nature of Protest

Advocacy (for inclusion in courts)

Protests/marches

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

Delhi Development Authority, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached

Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

Information on the use of criminal law

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Resources

Resources Related to Conflict

  • News Articles Related to the Conflict:
  • Documents Related to the Conflict:
  • Links Related to the Conflict:

Images

Image Credit:  

Image Credit:  

Video

Bela Estate is a slum cluster located on the western bank of the Yamuna. Its subareas include China Colony, Bela Gaon, Moolchand Basti, Malla Gaon and Kanchanpuri. The area falls under the first phase of the Yamuna Riverfront Development Project, under which the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) plans to build a biodiversity park and lake over an area of 189 acres. In May 2018, 550 houses in China Colony and Moolchand Basti were demolished for the project. Prior to that, in 2015, the DDA demolished 80 houses on the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to clear encroachments on the Yamuna floodplains, but it failed to rehabilitate the affected people. Following these demolitions, the residents of the area obtained a stay order on the demolition drive from the Delhi high court and sought their right to be rehabilitated under the Rehabilitation Policy, 2015, of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB). Nonrehabilitation of occupants for demolition of houses that existed prior to 2015 is against the DUSIB Policy. The petition [W.P. (C) 5214/2018] is currently being heard (see HRLN report attached). The residents of Bela Estate, mostly smallscale farmers who grow rice, wheat, vegetables, herbs and flowers and workers from the informal sector, have witnessed at least 15 demolition drives since 2006 and have been living under the threat of eviction without rehabilitation. In 2016, they protested at the Delhi Secretariat where a delegation submitted an application to stop the demolitions, which it claimed did not follow the due process of law. The authorities assured them verbally but did not give anything in writing. According to news reports, the land they farm on was leased for collective cropping and grazing by the Delhi Improvement Trust, a precursor to the DDA ,to the Delhi Peasants Cooperative Society (DPCS), which in turn had allotted it to the older generations of the current occupants in 1949. The DPCS would collect rent from farmers to pay to the DIT, and the arrangement continued when the DDA was formed in 1957. In 1966, the leases formally expired, and the DDA allegedly sent out eviction notices to the allottees in 1991, 25 years after the expiry. Residents, however, claim that the first set of eviction notices were only sent out in 2004, before the start of the Commonwealth Games. In 2015, some of the residents received allotment letters for land in Bawana as part of their rehabilitation, while others did not. In September 2020, the DDA conducted a threeday demolition drive at Asita East side near Yamuna bank following an earlier NGT order. The DDA claimed to have retrieved 5,000 square metres of land. According to a news report published in January 2021, volunteers from Bandhua Mukti Morcha have been conducting a survey in an attempt to collect vital information regarding proof of addresses from the residents which would aid their claims for rehabilitation. The residents have been filling in forms documenting the last proof of address issued to them. The documents are also supplemented with photographic evidence. As per the report, the initiative received 98 forms from Kanchanpuri, 80 from Bela Estate, 120 from Moolchand Colony part 1, and more than 250 from Moolchand Colony part 2.

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for rehabilitation

Demand for legal recognition of land rights

Complaint against procedural violations

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Complaint against forcible evictions

Region Classification

Urban

Type of Land

Common

Type of Common Land

Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)

Total investment involved (in Crores):

200

Type of investment:

Cost of Project

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict

Procedural Laws, Other

Legislations/Policies Involved

Delhi Slum & JJ Rehabilitation and Relocation Policy, 2015
Section 2(a)(i) [Jhuggis that have come up in JJ Basti before January 1, 2015, shall not be demolished without providing alternate housing]; Section 2(a)(iii) [The DUSIB shall provide alternate accommodation to those living in JJ Bastis either on the same land or in the vicinity within a radius of five kilometres]
National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2011
Section 3(1)(a) [The Union government shall make policies and guidelines for the orderly relocation and rehabilitation of slum dwellers in a sustainable, planned and humane manner]
Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board Act, 2010
Section 10(2) [Every scheme for rehabilitation of the residents of JJ Bastis shall specify the cost of the new houses allotted to them and the criteria for eligibility for resettlement]
  1. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  2. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  3. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  4. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  5. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  6. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  7. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute

No

What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?

What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?

Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:

Non-rehabilitation of displaced people

Lack of legal protection over land rights

Forced evictions/dispossession of land

Delay in allottment and possession of land/property

Legal Status:

In Court

Status of Case In Court

Pending

Whether any adjudicatory body was approached

Yes

Name of the adjudicatory body

Name(s) of the Court(s)

High Court of Delhi

Case Number

W.P.(C.) 5214/2018

Main Reasoning/Decision of court

Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:

Displacement

Whether criminal law was used against protestors:

No

Reported Details of the Violation:

In May 2018, 550 houses in China Colony and Moolchand Basti were demolished for the project. Prior to that, in 2015, the DDA demolished 80 houses on the orders of the National Green Tribunal to clear encroachments on the Yamuna floodplains, but it failed to rehabilitate the affected people. The residents of Bela Estate have witnessed at least 15 demolition drives since 2006 and have been living under the threat of eviction without rehabilitation.

Date of Violation

Location of Violation

Nature of Protest

Advocacy (for inclusion in courts)

Protests/marches

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

Delhi Development Authority, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached

Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

Resources Related to Conflict

  • News Articles Related to the Conflict:
  • Documents Related to the Conflict:
  • Links Related to the Conflict:

Image Credit:  

Image Credit:  

Documented By

Text Link

Reviewed By

Text Link

Updated By

Text Link

Edited By

Text LinkLand Conflict Watch

Other Land Conflicts in Delhi

cross
Not a member yet?
Sign up now