India, May 31 -- Around 150 residential buildings were demolished for a road-widening project in Shalimar Bagh on Sunday - a day after the Delhi High Court-prescribed deadline to vacate the structures expired on May 30.

The anti-encroachment drive comes after the district magistrate issued a public notice inviting objections in January, and a demolition order in March. The action was challenged by local residents in the high court in April. However, the court allowed authorities to proceed with the demolition for road expansion and gave occupants until May 30 to vacate the structures.

District Magistrate (North Central) Shailendra Singh said on Sunday that in 1980, the Delhi government acquired the land concerned and compensated the occ...