The Batla House demolition case took a new turn on Tuesday at 7 PM when police barricades appeared on Muradi Road in Batla House. Their sudden arrival triggered panic across the area, with residents fearing that demolition was imminent.
However, at the time of filing this report on Wednesday, no demolition had taken place. According to local residents out of 52 houses which had got eviction notices 42 have got interim relief.
Their sudden presence and departure sparked debate among residents about the purpose of the visit in Batla House demolition case.
Some believed it was a sign that Batla House demolition might begin soon, while others felt it could be unrelated. “With no confirmation or announcement from the authorities, no one really knows what’s going on,” said one resident.
Many got interim relief in Batla House demolition case: Residents
Earlier in the day, Muradi Road (Khasra number 279) had returned to normalcy after reports emerged that around 27 residents had received interim relief from the Delhi High Court. Some others also secured relief from the Saket Court. “In total, there are around 27 buildings which got interim relief. First, there was Ishrat Jahan who got a stay then four others, then eleven, and after that another eleven,” residents’ petition counsel Advocate Fahad Khan told the OT on Batla House demolition case.
Amanatullah posts on X at 1 am
A resident said around 32 people had received interim relief, though the exact number could not be independently verified by the OT. Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan posted on X at 1 am. “Just now at 1 am, all case files related to Batla House Muradi Road have been submitted. DDA had issued notices to 52 properties and 32 have received a stay. The remaining 20 cases are scheduled for hearing today (Wednesday), and there is hope that a stay will be granted in all of them. However, according to my sources, the DDA is likely to carry out demolitions today,” he wrote in Hindi.
https://twitter.com/KhanAmanatullah/status/1935064271664333137
It was on May 27 when the Delhi Development officials with police had arrived in the area with eviction notices following the Supreme Court order. Residents were given 15-day time to vacate buildings and shops and the deadline expired on June 11.
Barricades upset Batla House residents
Deeply upset by the sight of the barricades, residents expressed deep concern and anxiety.
Batla House resident Saba Israr said: “With the police presence and barricading, the suspicions are getting deeper. I’m feeling very scared, and it seems like they’ve made up their mind to carry out the demolition, maybe even by tomorrow. Given the scale of preparations, it looks like they’ll act soon. Around 42 people have got stay orders, but I don’t understand why their stays are not being acknowledged. The stays were granted by the High Court, not some lower court, and they should be respected. Now all we can do is pray to Allah for everyone’s safety.”
A local resident who is well aware of the development related to Batla House demolition, he said: “Residents are scared. Those who were quiet or hopeful that nothing would happen till July 10 are now worried. All our hopes have been shattered today….
According to media report, the interim relief is up to July 10 as the Delhi High Court has listed the matter for hearing on this date, before the Roster Bench.
“…We thought nothing would happen before July 10. But we didn’t expect everything to start so suddenly. Their preparations are intense…,” he said.
Nobody is ready to share information: Residents
On being asked that those who didn’t get the stay orders might face the music, he said: “That could happen. But no one is ready to give a clear answer. We are trying hard to find out whose properties are being targeted and why, but nobody is ready to share this information.”
Another resident said: “The arrival of barricades clearly means they’ve come with the intention to demolish. Either today or tomorrow, they’ll blow the horn and start the demolition. They are here to tear down our colony. People have been scared for a long time. Many have already vacated their homes. These are homes where people have lived for 50 years. Why were such houses allowed to be built in the first place if they were illegal? The police, the law, and the court should have stopped construction back then. Why allow this settlement if you planned to demolish it 50 years later? That’s what we want to ask, even to our MLA.”
Another resident said: “… Earlier, we thought only the front road area would be affected to widen the street. But now it turns out many inner houses are also marked. Nobody expected so many homes to be included. People have invested their entire savings. These are their own homes, built over years. Where will they go now? There are widows, the poor, families without male earners. All kinds of people live here — entire buildings are occupied, small houses, families — everyone is here.”
