It’s 10 pm on Tuesday, and an eerie silence cloaks Batla House. The final deadline issued by civic agency for the demolition is set to expire at midnight, casting a heavy pall of uncertainty over the neighbourhood. Streets that are usually alive with evening chatter now lie still.
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A tense hush has taken hold as residents wait — anxiously, helplessly — for what the morning may bring.
Glimmer of hope pierces the gloom for Batla House
But amid the unease, a sliver of hope pierces the gloom for Batla House. The residents’ plea has been listed for hearing in the Delhi High Court the following morning. “We are hopeful as tomorrow there is a hearing of our case based on a PIL filed by Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan represented by Senior lawyer and Congress leader Salman Khurshid,” says Md Tahir, who has been working tirelessly to help residents fill official documents to strengthen their cases.
From the lanes of Jamia Nagar to distant corners of the capital, prayers are being whispered for a last-minute reprieve for Batla House residents of Khasra number 279.
In every narrow alley of Khasra number 279 in Batla House, people speak in hushed tones, fearful of what awaits them on July 11 — the day the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has asked them to vacate what it deems encroached land after the Supreme Court order. For many here, this isn’t just a place to live — it’s home, built over decades. And now, the very ground beneath them feels uncertain. Notices were pasted on houses of residents Khasra Number 279 on May 26.
A night haunted by rumours and anxiety
Rumours ripple through the community, amplifying the collective anxiety. One social media post reads: “Is there a curfew on Muradi Road?” In a home marked for demolition, a young man leans toward others gathered in the dim light: “Are they going to cut the electricity tomorrow? I heard a local leader mention it on the street,” he says, eyes wide with concern.
“Rumours are spreading fast, and it’s playing on everyone’s nerves,” says Md Tahir. “But I believe nothing will happen in the morning, and I urge residents not to pay attention to any rumours. My gut tells me we’ll be safe. And the good news is, our case is listed in court tomorrow morning. That gives me hope,” he said.
Still, a troubling question lingers for many: What will happen if DDA officials arrive early in the morning with police forces and begin the demolition drive? A resident standing at the corner of a street on Muradi Road, flanked by a few close friends, said the administration will likely make an announcement beforehand. There are many like Sarfaraz Ahmed, who said he bought his flat years ago by saving every penny he earned. They remain hopeful that the court will deliver justice for Batla House residents.
“It takes years of hard work to build a house. I struggled for a long time and used to walk kilometers just to save money when I was living in another part of Delhi. My main goal was to own a house — a dream shared by everyone, especially lower-middle-class families who come from other parts of the state hoping to build a better life. Buying a house also means securing your family’s future, especially your children’s. But now, this eviction notice has shattered all of that,” he said.
Everyone is waiting for the court’s decision
It is a night suspended between fear and hope. As the clock ticks toward morning, all eyes are now fixed on the court’s order expected on Wednesday. The anticipation is suffocating. For many residents, it promises a sliver of hope — but for others, especially those who have yet to secure any legal relief, it is shaping into a long, sleepless night, heavy with anxiety and dread.
Another resident Amjad Khan said some six people have got relief whose houses were mistakenly identified by the DDA as Khasra number 279.
He said: “Look, what happened in court — the matter had gone to the Supreme Court, and everyone knows what happened there. The next hearing is on July 15. There’s no relief until then. It’s true that today the deadline is ending. But people are more panicked, especially the small, poor tenants and shopkeepers — they are ready to vacate because they’re afraid their goods might get spoiled. But so far, there is no such information from the DDA that they will be arriving in one day or two or four days for demolition. Such rumours are absolutely false. Because when something like this happens — for example, in Okhla Vihar or Johri Farm—they come with loudspeakers and announce that people should vacate. But nothing of that sort has happened on Muradi Road so far till now. Look, the status of Okhla Vihar and Johri Farm is different. Even here, like in Khizar Baba Colony, the status is different. The UP Irrigation case wasn’t a court matter. But Muradi Road is a court matter. The notices here have been issued as per court orders, so there’s a vast difference between the two.”
“As far as we know, around eight people have received a stay. Their plots are numbered 181, 182, 183—eight houses like these. They went to court and argued that their plots aren’t part of the disputed area. So the court granted them relief—about one month of stay—and asked DDA to submit a report. So now their fight is in court. Their land records are different, so they got relief. Some people even went to court today—they may also receive orders if their plots are different. As for the rest — plot number 279 is the issue. So the fight is now in court, and we’ll continue it there. We shouldn’t spread rumours. It only increases restlessness and causes trouble for people. I believe there won’t be any such action throughout the month of June,” he said.
Residents should be given relief: Saghir
Local resident and activist 70-year-old Md Saghir, born and brought up in Batla House, told the OT that residents should be given relief. “People work their whole lives and only then are they able to build a house or purchase a flat. If you’re born with a silver spoon, it’s different story as you inherit property. But here, everyone belongs to the lower or middle class, and they’ve saved money just to have a roof over their heads. Then one morning, they’re told to vacate the land because it’s DDA land. Where was the agency all these years? We are all praying that they get relief from the High Court, which has listed the case for hearing on Wednesday,” he said.
Jameel explains how he and others got relief
Some residents have received notices based on their Khasra numbers. and they got relief. Jameel, one of the residents, claimed he received relief from the court.
“They pasted the notice on my house. My house is on Muradi Road in I Block. They came three times. First, they marked the house; then they pasted the notice; and the third time, they conducted a survey to count how many flats were built and how many people were living there. They told us the notice was being issued in compliance with a Supreme Court order, but we were never informed of the exact reason. We’ve been kept in the dark till now. We were given 15 days time to vacate our houses. After that, we approached the High Court and got a stay. Our claim was that our Khasra number is different — my house falls under Khasra 283, not 279. Eleven houses in the neighborhood also received stays based on different Khasra numbers and all are located close by 279. They came with their map, but we questioned its accuracy,” said Jameel, who said he has lived in this locality for 55 years.
The night holds doubt; the morning may bring hope
All told, yet no one truly knows what lies in the mind of the administration. The thick cloud of uncertainty will only begin to lift in the morning — when the affected residents of Batla House, if they managed even a moment of restful sleep, awaken clinging to a fragile glimmer of hope, their fate resting entirely on the relief the court may offer.
