New Delhi – In a major clearance operation, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), backed by a special task force, demolished nearly 200 jhuggi structures at Jailorwala Bagh JJ Cluster in northwest Delhi’s Ashok Vihar on Monday. The drive is part of the ongoing in-situ slum rehabilitation project aimed at providing permanent housing solutions to eligible slum dwellers.
According to DDA officials, the operation targeted unauthorized structures built on government land. Of the affected residents, 1,078 eligible households were shifted to newly constructed 1-BHK flats at Swabhiman Apartments, developed under the ₹421 crore in-situ rehabilitation project. These flats, built at a cost of ₹25 lakh each, are being offered to beneficiaries at a heavily subsidized rate of ₹1.4 lakh.
DDA clarified that demolitions excluded the jhuggis of those who had secured interim relief from the Delhi High Court, which reportedly includes around 250 ineligible dwellers.
However, there are claims from several residents that they were denied accommodation despite living in the area for decades. A section of the community alleges that they were not included in the eligibility survey, raising concerns about transparency and fairness in the selection process.
The authority said that eligibility was determined based on the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) policy of 2015. Residents listed on voter rolls between 2012 and 2015 and those possessing one of 12 valid documents (such as passports, electricity bills, or bank passbooks) were deemed eligible. In contrast, individuals using their homes for commercial activity, those under 18, or families living on upper floors without separate ration cards before January 1, 2015, were excluded.
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To address grievances, DDA had established an appellate authority led by a retired district and sessions judge. Nine households successfully appealed and were granted allotments through a draw of lots.
The development highlights ongoing tensions between the city’s urban renewal efforts and the rights and livelihoods of marginalized communities.