Supreme Court Puts Proposed Demolition Of Around 200 'Jhuggis' At Delhi's Sarojini Nagar On Hold

The judges ordered that no coercive measures be implemented until the next hearing date, which was set for May 2.

Supreme Court. (File Photo)

New Delhi: The proposed demolition of roughly 200 'jhuggis' (shanties) in Sarojini Nagar in the national capital was put on hold for a week by the Supreme Court on Monday.

The comments of senior lawyer Vikas Singh, arguing for minor Vaishali, a jhuggi resident whose 10th board examinations begin on April 26, that hundreds of people will be evicted without any alternative rehabilitation programme in place, were noted by a bench of Justices K M Joseph and Hrishikesh Roy.

The judges ordered that no coercive measures be implemented until the next hearing date, which was set for May 2.

The Delhi High Court had already issued an interim stay on demolition, which was set to expire on Monday.

On Friday, a bench led by Chief Justice N V Ramana took notice of suggestions that the case needed to be heard quickly due to the immediate prospect of 'jhuggis'  (shanties) being demolished.

Last Friday, the apex court refused to renew the stay without hearing from the authorities.

On April 4, the Union Ministry of Urban Development issued eviction/demolition notices to all occupants of the 'jhuggis,' requesting that they leave within one week.

The jhuggis inhabitants have lived there since 1980, according to the petition, and they do not want any government initiative at the site to be halted.

Residents, on the other hand, demanded that their 'jhuggis' be rehabilitated and relocated in accordance with the terms of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) Act.

Before any eviction action is conducted, the DUSIB Act requires government officials to devise a plan for the rehabilitation and resettlement of 'jhuggis.' 

(With PTI Inputs)