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Expansion of Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal-3 Displaces 122 Dalit Families

Reported by

Eleonora Fanari

Legal Review by

Edited by

Updated by

Published on

February 5, 2017

May 26, 2023

Edited on

February 5, 2017

State

Delhi

Sector

Infrastructure

People Affected by Conflict

283

Households Affected by Conflict

59

Land Area Affected (in Hectares)

25

ha

Starting Year

2007

Location of Conflict

Nangal Dewat

South West Delhi

Reason or Cause of Conflict

Airport

Land Conflict Summary

In 2007, around 122 Dalit families were displaced from the Nangal Dewat village for the expansion of the New Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal-3. While 63 families were provided with alternative accommodation in the Rangpuri Pahari area, 59 households were still waiting for their rehabilitation in 2017. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) had acquired 63 acres of land back in 1972 to build the terminal.
As per media reports, the families protested in front of the AAI office in Jor Bagh in 2017, demanding the allotment of land they were promised as compensation. Taking cognizance of the protests, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in a notice to the Delhi government, stated that the reports about the Dalit families failing to receive rehabilitation, even after nine years, were painful and indicative of grave violation of human rights and alleged that the families have been facing discrimination due to their caste.
"One such family, who relocated to another locality, was denied cremation as the deceased was a Dalit from a different village. Expenditure on rented accommodation has put them under financial burden in addition to other expenses, such as school fees of their chidlren," the NHRC stated in a press release on January 23, 2017.
The NHRC also issued a notice to the AAI chairperson and asked for reports from the Delhi government and the AAI within six weeks.

Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for promised land

Demand for rehabilitation

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Urban

Type of Land

Private

Type of Common 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

Project completed

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Residential area

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

Total investment involved (in Crores):

Type of investment:

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

Land Acquisition Laws

Legislations/Policies Involved

Land Acquisition Act, 1894
Sections 4 and 6 [Notifications for the acquisition of land for a public purpose are to be made as per the provisions of these sections]; Section 11A [An award shall be made by the Collector regarding the land sought to be acquired within a period of two years from the date of publication of a notification under Section 4]; Section 31(1) [On making of an award, the Collector shall pay compensation to the entitled persons or deposit the amount in court]; Section 31(3) [The Collector may, with prior sanction of the government, make an arrangement for the affected families to receive other lands in place of monetary compensation]
  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

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

Delay in allottment and possession of land/property

Legal Status:

In Court

Status of Case In Court

Disposed

Whether any adjudicatory body was approached

Yes

Name of the adjudicatory body

National Human Rights Commission

Name(s) of the Court(s)

High Court of Delhi

Case Number

W.P.(C.) No. 481/1982; Letters Patent Appeal No. 441 of 2007; W.P.(C.) No. 9103 of 2009

Main Reasoning/Decision of court

A writ petition was filed in 1982 challenging the notices issued by the Collector for acquisition of land in Nangal Dewat village. While the case was pending, the petitioners arrived at a settlement on August 2, 2001, where it was decided that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) would formulate a special scheme to rehabilitate the affected families in the village of Rangpuri by way of allotment of developed land. The petitioners were to receive both compensation as per the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, and alternative land at Rangpuri for construction of residential houses. However, a few families were unwilling to give up their land and approached the High Court of Delhi requesting for a change in the terms and conditions of the allotment letters issued by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). Hearing all the issues as a batch petition, a single-judge bench of the high court ordered that possession of the land should not be taken until the construction of residential houses in the alternate land is complete. The court stipulated a period of two years for the displaced families to complete the construction. Amenities such as water supply and electricity were to be provided before the AAI could take possession of the land. Aggrieved by this decision, the DDA appealed the matter before a division bench of the high court. The bench revised the time period for the construction of residential houses, directing the allottees to complete construction within one year from the date of handing over possession. In the meantime, a committee was to be set up expeditiously to monitor the situation and ensure that all the necessary amenities are provided at the rehabilitation site. The matter again arose for consideration in the case of Dewan Singh v. Government of NCT of Delhi and Ors. A three-judge bench of the Delhi high court held that Section 31 of the 1894 Act made a provision for either compensation or land and not both. However, since a settlement was entered into by all the parties to the land acquisition for expansion of the airport in 2001, the displaced families would be entitled to both compensation and alternative land.

Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:

Other harassment

Displacement

Whether criminal law was used against protestors:

No

Reported Details of the Violation:

One Dalit family that relocated to another locality after the acquisition was denied cremation as the deceased was a Dalit from a different village.

Date of Violation

Location of Violation

Additional Information

Nature of Protest

Development of a network or collective

Protests/marches

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

Airports Authority of India

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:

Dalit Families

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

In 2007, around 122 Dalit families were displaced from the Nangal Dewat village for the expansion of the New Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal-3. While 63 families were provided with alternative accommodation in the Rangpuri Pahari area, 59 households were still waiting for their rehabilitation in 2017. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) had acquired 63 acres of land back in 1972 to build the terminal.
As per media reports, the families protested in front of the AAI office in Jor Bagh in 2017, demanding the allotment of land they were promised as compensation. Taking cognizance of the protests, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in a notice to the Delhi government, stated that the reports about the Dalit families failing to receive rehabilitation, even after nine years, were painful and indicative of grave violation of human rights and alleged that the families have been facing discrimination due to their caste.
"One such family, who relocated to another locality, was denied cremation as the deceased was a Dalit from a different village. Expenditure on rented accommodation has put them under financial burden in addition to other expenses, such as school fees of their chidlren," the NHRC stated in a press release on January 23, 2017.
The NHRC also issued a notice to the AAI chairperson and asked for reports from the Delhi government and the AAI within six weeks.

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for promised land

Demand for rehabilitation

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Urban

Type of Land

Private

Type of Common Land

Total investment involved (in Crores):

Type of investment:

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

Land Acquisition Laws

Legislations/Policies Involved

Land Acquisition Act, 1894
Sections 4 and 6 [Notifications for the acquisition of land for a public purpose are to be made as per the provisions of these sections]; Section 11A [An award shall be made by the Collector regarding the land sought to be acquired within a period of two years from the date of publication of a notification under Section 4]; Section 31(1) [On making of an award, the Collector shall pay compensation to the entitled persons or deposit the amount in court]; Section 31(3) [The Collector may, with prior sanction of the government, make an arrangement for the affected families to receive other lands in place of monetary compensation]
  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

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

Delay in allottment and possession of land/property

Legal Status:

In Court

Status of Case In Court

Disposed

Whether any adjudicatory body was approached

Yes

Name of the adjudicatory body

National Human Rights Commission

Name(s) of the Court(s)

High Court of Delhi

Case Number

W.P.(C.) No. 481/1982; Letters Patent Appeal No. 441 of 2007; W.P.(C.) No. 9103 of 2009

Main Reasoning/Decision of court

A writ petition was filed in 1982 challenging the notices issued by the Collector for acquisition of land in Nangal Dewat village. While the case was pending, the petitioners arrived at a settlement on August 2, 2001, where it was decided that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) would formulate a special scheme to rehabilitate the affected families in the village of Rangpuri by way of allotment of developed land. The petitioners were to receive both compensation as per the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, and alternative land at Rangpuri for construction of residential houses. However, a few families were unwilling to give up their land and approached the High Court of Delhi requesting for a change in the terms and conditions of the allotment letters issued by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). Hearing all the issues as a batch petition, a single-judge bench of the high court ordered that possession of the land should not be taken until the construction of residential houses in the alternate land is complete. The court stipulated a period of two years for the displaced families to complete the construction. Amenities such as water supply and electricity were to be provided before the AAI could take possession of the land. Aggrieved by this decision, the DDA appealed the matter before a division bench of the high court. The bench revised the time period for the construction of residential houses, directing the allottees to complete construction within one year from the date of handing over possession. In the meantime, a committee was to be set up expeditiously to monitor the situation and ensure that all the necessary amenities are provided at the rehabilitation site. The matter again arose for consideration in the case of Dewan Singh v. Government of NCT of Delhi and Ors. A three-judge bench of the Delhi high court held that Section 31 of the 1894 Act made a provision for either compensation or land and not both. However, since a settlement was entered into by all the parties to the land acquisition for expansion of the airport in 2001, the displaced families would be entitled to both compensation and alternative land.

Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:

Other harassment

Displacement

Whether criminal law was used against protestors:

No

Reported Details of the Violation:

One Dalit family that relocated to another locality after the acquisition was denied cremation as the deceased was a Dalit from a different village.

Date of Violation

Location of Violation

Nature of Protest

Development of a network or collective

Protests/marches

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

Airports Authority of India

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:

Dalit Families

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

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