No jhuggi to be demolished right now, Railways discussing with Delhi govt, UD Ministry: Centre tells SC
Sep 14, 2020
New Delhi [India], September 14 : The Central government on Monday submitted before the Supreme Court that no jhuggi will be demolished right now as the Railways is discussing this issue with the Delhi government and the Ministry of Urban Development to find a solution.
A bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde, was hearing the submissions on senior Congress leader Ajay Maken's plea challenging the Supreme Court order for the demolition of about 48,000 jhuggis alongside the railway tracks in Delhi.
"No jhuggi will be removed or demolished right now. The railway is discussing this issue with the Delhi government and the Union Ministry of Urban Development and we will come up with some solution," Mehta submitted.
The bench, after hearing the submissions, adjourned the hearing on the matter for four weeks.
Maken had moved the top court against a direction passed by a bench headed by (retired) Justice Arun Mishra for the demolition of about 48,000 jhuggis alongside the railway tracks in Delhi.
In the plea filed through advocate Aman Panwar and advocate on record Nitin Saluja, Maken argued that since the order directing demolition was passed without hearing the slum dwellers either directly or in a representative capacity, the same cannot be sustained.
Not a single slum dweller either directly or in representative capacity has been heard by the Apex Court before passing such a devastating order, Maken, former Union Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, said in his plea.
The plea said that if the demolition of slums is carried out amidst the current pandemic, more than 2,50,000 persons will be forced to move around the city in search of shelter and livelihood.
