The Aam Aadmi Party welcomed the Delhi High Court’s decision to stay the demolition notices issued by the Railway Department against several slum settlements in the city on Friday.
The ruling came after an appeal from the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) was made before the court.
Addressing a press conference, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the Central agencies of illegally demolishing slum settlements and underscored that the targeted slums are listed in DUSIB records, ensuring legal protection against such actions.
Bharadwaj claimed that the Delhi government has a firm policy and slums cannot be demolished without providing the residents with permanent housing first.
Responding swiftly to the notices issued by the Railway Department, the Delhi government had approached the High Court, which recognized the illegal nature of the actions and granted a stay on the demolition notices.
Minister Bharadwaj also visited the Flying Club JJ Camp near Sarojini Nagar to inform residents of the court’s decision.
He added that “We will not allow a single slum to be demolished until every resident has been provided with a permanent house.”
“This is not just a policy. It is a law that the agency that demolishes the slums is responsible for providing permanent housing in the same area,” he asserted.