Delhi govt aks DDA to halt demolition drive in Mehrauli

New Delhi [India], February 11 : The Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government has asked Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to stop demolition in south Delhi's Mehrauli.
"The minister said that residents cannot be displaced until fresh demarcation is conducted," officials said.
In a tweet, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot called on officials to carry out a fresh demarcation in the presence of affected persons.
"Many residents of Village Ladha Sarai have represented against DDA's demolition drive on the basis of faulty demarcation. I have advised Divisional Commissioner & DM south to carry out fresh demarcation in the presence of affected persons," Gahlot tweeted.
The residents in the Mehrauli region of the national capital continued to protest against the drive.
The Delhi High Court on Friday pulled up the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) over demolition in Mehrauli despite a stay order till the next date of hearing.
The residents challenged the demolition order issued on December 12, 2022. The matter was listed for hearing on February 16.
Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora expressed her displeasure with the standing counsel for DDA, saying, "We can't have a situation like contempt. You take the plot number and convey it to the authorities to stop the demolition."
Earlier an order of status quo till February 16 was passed by the bench after hearing the petitioners. Despite this fact, the demolition was not stopped.
Thereafter the matter was mentioned before the bench which expressed its displeasure on the situation. The court stayed the demolition till the next date of hearing. The bench issued notice to the DDA and listed the matter for further hearing on February 16.
The notice of December 12, 2022, for demolition and communication of February 9, 2023, was challenged and sought to be quashed.
This matter pertains to the demolition drive in ward number 8, Mehrauli by the DDA.
The notices were pasted on the identified properties and demolition was scheduled for Friday. The action was challenged through five petitions filed in the matter.
The matter pertains to different colonies falling under ward number 8.
Advocate Ankit Jain appeared on behalf of petitioner Ruchi and 16 other petitioners. The petition has been moved against the Delhi government, DDA and the Archeological Survey of India (ASI).
It is stated that the properties of the petitioners are in the urbanised village Mehrauli, which falls within 'Lal Dora' land and has been duly registered with the Sub Divisional Magistrate's Office, Mehrauli since the year 2001
The sum and substance of the said demolition order are that some Khasra numbers, falling in the village 'Ladha Sarai', have been encroached upon by unauthorised occupants, the petition stated.
It is also said that the said notice to the properties falling in the village Ladha Sarai and the Mehrauli Archeological Park.
The notice granted the said occupants to evict the area within 10 days.
It was argued that the properties of the petitioners are falling in neither of the above. The petitioners' properties are self-owned and have been in existence for more than 25 years.