On Friday, in Delhi, the National Capital Region (NCR) Development Authority (DDA) bulldozer took a major step. A bulldozer was used by the DDA for an anti-encroachment drive in Yamuna’s floodplain area near Sarai Kale Khan in South-East Delhi. In this action, DDA demolished 250 houses with bulldozers. The authority said that the campaign was conducted with proper security arrangements to ensure that law and order is maintained during the process. A DDA official explained that as per the National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders this area falls under Yamuna’s floodplain and no encroachment should take place here.

A police officer said that the work done on Friday was completed peacefully. Tahir Ali, a resident of the area, said they received information about an anti-encroachment drive around 4:30 PM on Thursday. Ali said that a policeman came to the area on Thursday evening around 4:30 PM with an order to demolish houses and asked us to vacate till 10 AM on Friday. But at around 7 AM officials reached here and started demolishing houses.

According to information received, about 250 houses were demolished by DDA in this area. One individual told that he is from Assam and living in this area since 1996. There are about 15-20 families from Assam; rest are from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana who work as ragpickers; some work in nearby fields too. Everything was destroyed after anti-encroachment drive: Ali alleges they were not given enough time to remove their household items from houses.

It is worth noting that DDA’s anti-encroachment drive continues unabated in Delhi-NCR region where many illegal constructions have been demolished so far through bulldozers which are also active across NCR targeting illegal constructions throughout NCR .