DDA sets two-month deadline to vacate Kathputli Colony

THE DELHI Development Authority (DDA) has set itself a deadline of two months to vacate Kathputli Colony and begin construction on the Kathputli redevelopment project.

The authority has claimed that it is not vacating any residents of the colony forcefully and that police presence at the site is “only there to assist officials in doing their work”.

Speaking totheindianexpress, Principal Commissioner (Land Disposal and Housing) DDA, J P Agrawal, refuted allegations that residentswerebeingmadetosign slips to evict them forcefully. He saidthattripartiteagreementsare beingsignedwithresidentsinthe presence of the pradhans of the variouscommunitieslivingthere.

“The tripartite agreements are being signed between the DDA, the developer and the beneficiary. The beneficiaries are given all assistance to move their belongings by the builder as well,” Agrawal said.

“It is the discretion of the Delhi Police to decide the number of police personnel they need at a site. They have strict instructions that no force will be used unless there is a law and order situation,” he said. With regard to recent protests, the principal commissioner alleged that the protests are a result of “vested interests” in the area.

The “in-situ redevelopment” scheme was conceived in 2009. Raheja Developers was given the contract to develop 2,800 flats for 2,461 families who were residing in the colony as per a 2011 DDA survey. Since then, about 400 families have been added to the list and the authority claims that scrutiny of documents is on going to add more residents and, as of Wednesday, at least 1,100 families have been moved to the transit camp at Anand Parbat.

Express A demolition drive at Kathputli Colony.