New Delhi, June 9 -- Bringing relief to nearly 15 lakh residents living in Delhi's O-Zone areas, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday clarified that no demolition action will be taken against existing constructions in the 91 unauthorised colonies and several old villages located in the Yamuna floodplain zone. The assurance came after a high-level meeting at the Delhi Secretariat amid growing anxiety among residents following recent court proceedings and notices installed in the area.
The meeting was attended by North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari, South Delhi MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Trans Yamuna Area Development Board Chairman and MLA Arvinder Singh Lovely, Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma, MCD Commissioner Sanjeev Khairwar, and senior officials of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and other departments.
During the meeting, officials informed the Chief Minister that around 91 colonies and nearly a dozen old villages fall within the O-Zone and are home to approximately 15 lakh people. Residents have been worried due to signboards installed by authorities, but public representatives told the meeting that after examining High Court orders and government records, they found that existing structures were not under threat. The court's directions, they said, relate only to new or ongoing construction activities.
Public representatives also raised concerns over the wording of the notice boards installed in O-Zone colonies, saying they were creating confusion and panic among residents. They alleged that some elements were exploiting the situation by spreading fear while simultaneously carrying out illegal construction activities. Representatives further demanded strict measures to protect the Yamuna floodplain and said they had no objection to a complete ban on fresh construction in the O-Zone.
Seeking clarification from DDA officials, the Chief Minister observed that the court had not made any remarks regarding completed constructions. "The Hon'ble High Court had not made any observations regarding constructions that had already been completed, but had raised concerns about ongoing construction activities," she said. Gupta added that since the court had already communicated its position to the DDA, the authority should act accordingly.
Reaffirming the government's commitment to residents, the Chief Minister said she would soon meet Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal along with public representatives to discuss a permanent resolution. She also directed DDA officials to revise the wording of the notice boards in line with the court's observations so that residents do not face unnecessary panic. Addressing a subsequent press conference, MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said, "Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has also made it clear that no demolition of any kind will be carried out in the old inhabited areas falling under the O-Zone." He added that BJP MPs would soon meet Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to present the factual position and seek justice for the 15 lakh affected residents.
MP Manoj Tiwari said, "We have already initiated the entire process to rectify the erroneous inclusion of certain areas in the O-Zone." He accused previous governments of failing to resolve the issue and asserted that existing houses would not be harmed. "Only new constructions would be subject to compliance with the court's directions," he said, urging residents not to fall prey to misinformation or fear.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.