AAP’s Atishi slammed the DDA’s Kalkaji demolition as an “anti‑poor policy,” while the Delhi government backed the action. The demolition cleared over 1,200 illegal shanties from DDA land in the Govindpuri jhuggi cluster.
Hundreds of people lost their homes after illegal houses were removed at Bhoomihin Camp jhuggi in Kalkaji, South Delhi.
This action was taken by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) as per Delhi High Court’s order.
The DDA removed over 1,200 illegal shanties that had been built on its land in the Govindpuri jhuggi cluster, which lies between Kalkaji and Kalkaji Extension.
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Many of the occupants were daily laborers who claimed to have lived in the area for years. So far, 1,862 economically weak families have received flats as part of an in-situ rehabilitation project in Kalkaji Extension.
However, around 1,200 families without ration cards are ineligible for rehabilitation.
Residents alleged that they received eviction notices from the DDA only three days before the demolitions began.
Ahead of the Delhi elections, the BJP had promised to provide concrete housing for urban poor living in slums. Aam Aadmi Party MLA Atishi, representing Kalkaji, condemned the demolition drive as an “anti-poor policy.”
Atishi claimed,
“People are being forced out of their homes, beaten with sticks. [Chief Minister] Rekha Gupta claims this is a court order, but who approached the court? It was the BJP’s DDA and the party that brought the order. These poor people went to court, but the BJP and the DDA stood against them, said they wouldn’t provide homes, and urged the court to approve the demolition,”
In response, BJP leader and Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa defended the DDA’s actions to clear encroachments and criticized AAP for spreading misinformation.
Mr. Sirsa stated, referring to in-situ rehabilitation,
“Those whose slums have been removed have been given separate houses… They (AAP) are telling lies only to mislead the people of Delhi. Now they (AAP) are out of power. I want to ask them whether they have given a house to even a single slum dweller? Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi has said jahan jhuggi wahi makaan,”
The demolition in Kalkaji is viewed as a complex issue by resident welfare associations (RWAs) from nearby DDA colonies. Residents of Konark, Kohinoor, Gomti, and Everest apartments, all DDA properties, have expressed frustration that their access roads are often blocked by encroachments from the jhuggi.
They have raised concerns about rampant crime, including snatching incidents, which they believe have increased as the jhuggi expanded.
Residents allege that Atishi made promises to address these issues during her election campaign but has not followed through since winning due to vote bank considerations.
General secretary of the RWA federation, Harjinder Singh Harry, said,
“While I sincerely hope the government ensures fair rehabilitation and care for those displaced in the recent demolitions, I must also speak as a long-time resident of Kalkaji Extension. Over the years, we’ve witnessed a disturbing rise in crime; snatching has sadly become routine, almost a new normal. What’s even more alarming is the involvement of underage children, often trained to use knives and commit crimes knowing the law treats them as minors. This has rendered the police helpless in many situations,”
He added,
“The unchecked mushrooming of illegal structures has not only blocked key roads and choked traffic but has also become breeding grounds for such activities. I truly hope this action helps restore order, safety, and dignity, both for residents and for those who genuinely deserve support,”