Kathputli colony relocation on hold as residents refuse to budge
STALLED Petition to stay construction filed in HC, project faces delay as shifting was to start from Wednesday
NEW DELHI: Strong resistance from residents of west Delhi’s Kathputli colony has stalled Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) plan to shift these slum dwellers.
DDA had planned to start the shifting process from Wednesday but the exercise is likely to get delayed now.
In its board meeting on Monday, Lt. Governor directed DDA to ensure that shifting of dwellers was done amicably and without any inconvenience.
The residents held a street meeting on Monday, where Dilip Bhat, who is spearheading the protest, said that while the DDA is claiming that there are around 2,600 households in the area, their actual number is more than 3,200.
After the residents filed petitions in the Delhi High Court, seeking a stay on any construction activity in the area, the court on Monday sought response from the Central government and DDA by March 11.
The petitions have been filed by over 28 associations, alleging that the authorities have wrongly assessed the household residents at the colony to be less than 2,600.
The petition also alleged that the DDA has not come out with a final list of the households who will be rehabilitated in the new flats which are to be built over the colony.
The petitioners said they have written letters to the Lieutenant-Governor stating that the land at Katputli had been sold in secret and that plans for rehabilitation and redevelopment of the residents of the colony had been drawn keeping them in the dark.
It sought stay against the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Raheja Developers from engaging in the building over the Kathputli colony.
In the DDA meeting, however, it was decided that the shifting process has to begin as soon as possible because the area in Anand Parbat where the transit camp has been set up has been given only for only two years.
In the meeting, the L-G said that sufficient back-up services, as required in multi-storey buildings, should be provided at Kathputli Colony once flats for allottees are constructed.
DDA assured that there will be no inconvenience while the dwellers are being shifted to the transit accommodation and a consensus would be evolved among dwellers about shifting process. The developer has also been permitted to use FAR to construct more flats for the purpose, if required. LALA BHAT, Puppeteer BILOO RAM, Toy maker