Final call after consultation with Rlys, Delhi Govt and UDM, Centre tells SC
Thousands of slum dwellers residing along the 140-km railway tracks in Delhi can now breathe a sigh of relief after the Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court on Monday that the 48,000 slums along the tracks would not be removed till a final decision is taken by the Government.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told a bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde that a final decision would be taken in consultation with the Railways, the Delhi Government and the Urban Development Ministry.
The bench, also comprising Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian, recorded Mehta’s assurance and said no coercive action be taken against these slum dwellers for four weeks.
The top court on August 31 had directed the removal of around 48,000 slum dwellings along the railway tracks in Delhi within three months and said there shall not be any kind of political interference in execution of the plan.
The SC, which posted the matter for hearing after four weeks, was hearing the applications, including the one filed by senior Congress leader Ajay Maken who has sought rehabilitation of these slum dwellers prior to their removal.
The Railways also said it will not dismantle any encroachment without a proper decision taken jointly with the Urban Development Ministry and the Delhi Government, after a political storm brewed over a Supreme Court order for removal of around 48,000 slum dwellings on rail land in the city.
In the August 31 order, the apex court had ordered removal of the slums within three months. It is estimated that around 2.4 lakh people live in slums in Naraina Vihar, Azadpur, Vihar, Shakur Basti, Mayapuri, Sriniwaspuri, Anand Parbat, Okhla and others.
The Northern Railway had submitted a report to the apex court saying mushrooming of slums along railway tracks is acting as hindrance towards keeping them clean.
“We are yet to take a decision in consultation with the Railways, the State Government and the Urban Development Ministry. Till then, no one will be evicted,” Mehta told the bench, which posted the matter for hearing after four weeks.
Senior advocate AM Singhvi, appearing for Maken, told the bench that status quo be maintained.
“We are not ordering any status quo. The Solicitor General has already said no action will be taken till a decision is taken and we have recorded it. We have adjourned the matter by four weeks,” the bench said.
Singhvi said some demolition has taken place on September 11 and today also. That was not done under this order. It was done under different order, the solicitor general said.
