- Bulldozers demolished over 200 illegal slum structures in Jailorwala Bagh
- Residents salvaged belongings amid the anti-encroachment drive, which followed court orders
- The DDA reported progress but many displaced families remain without housing solutions
The air in Jailorwala Bagh, in Delhi's Ashok Vihar, hung thick with dust and despair on Monday as bulldozers, flanked by over 250 police personnel, tore through more than 200 illegal slum structures surrounding the railway line. Residents scrambled frantically, clutching whatever belongings they could salvage - tattered clothes, dented pots, a child's plastic toy - before the next wall crumbled. This anti-encroachment drive, the second that month following a similar operation on June 2, had targeted encroachments along Wazirpur's railway lines, backed by court orders and safety concerns. But for the 15,000 residents, many daily wage laborers like 13-year-old Wasim's family, the demolitions shattered lives and dreams.
Wasim, who had lived in Jailorwala Bagh all his life, watched his home reduced to rubble. "It broke my heart," he told NDTV, his voice trembling. "I was excited to shift to the big colorful Swabhiman Flats allotted to us, but after going there, I realized the drinking water tasted sour, there were constant power cuts - it just didn't feel like home." The Swabhiman Flats, a complex of 1,675 apartments opened in January 2025, were meant to rehabilitate displaced families from Jailorwala Bagh. Yet, for Wasim and many others, the reality fell short of the promise.
The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) claimed progress, having rehabilitated around 1,100 residents so far. However, residents like Dillip Kumar, who had lived there since 1992 with a valid ration card, painted a bleaker picture. Speaking to NDTV, Mr Kumar said, "Over 3,100 people lived here. Around 500 whose homes were demolished are still waiting for flats. But slum dwellers from other demolished areas are also being allotted flats here." Mr Kumar alleged the DDA was "ruthless," citing removed electricity meters and a looming fear of eviction. "We were awaiting a court order, but I'm sure they'll break our homes and kick us out without relief," he added.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta defended the drive, emphasising safety. "If a railway line is encroached and there's an accident, who will be responsible?" she had asked at a press briefing. The Supreme Court upheld the need to clear unauthorized structures, but the human cost was undeniable. Families, given little notice, clutched belongings amid protests.
The political blame game was in full swing. The BJP accused the AAP of mismanaging rehabilitation, while AAP leaders pointed to central government pressure and slammed the betrayal of schemes like 'Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Makaan' (housing where slums stand). Critics argued these drives pushed Delhi's urban poor into new slums without immediate solutions.
Of the 15,000 residents, around 500 remained without allotted flats, and the Swabhiman complex, meant exclusively for Jailorwala Bagh, housed families from other demolished areas. For those like Wasim, whose daily-wage-earning father and housewife mother struggled to rebuild, and Kumar, who feared the next bulldozer, the poor were left questioning whether justice would ever find them.
