The Delhi High Court on Monday cleared the decks for the removal of slum dwellers living near the Prime Minister's official residence at Lok Kalyan Marg, ruling that eviction of unauthorised occupants from government land does not violate the rights to shelter and livelihood, provided they are properly rehabilitated.
Court's Decision on Eviction
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav refused to interfere with the eviction of residents from three slum clusters—Bhai Ram Camp, DID Camp, and Masjid Camp—but directed civic agencies to ensure that those relocated to Savda Ghevra receive all essential facilities, including sanitation, water, and schools. The judge asked the petitioner residents to vacate the camps within 15 days, noting that eviction notices were first served by the Land and Development Office in October 2025, and sufficient time had elapsed since then.
National Security Concerns
The court acknowledged the government's concerns that the slum cluster sat in a protected zone bordering an operational Indian Air Force station. The decision to remove unauthorised construction was taken to strengthen and secure defence infrastructure and for other important public and security purposes. Justice Kaurav stated, “The court finds that, considering contemporary geopolitical events, national security concerns of the respondents satisfy as specific reasons for eviction of the petitioners. It ought not to be too eager to interfere with such executive policy decisions.”
Rehabilitation Measures
The Centre, represented by standing counsel Syed Abdul Haseeb, argued that in-situ rehabilitation was not possible due to a lack of alternative accommodation in the vicinity. Therefore, a decision was made to shift 717 dwellers from the three slums to Savda Ghevra instead. To minimise problems faced by the dwellers during relocation, the court asked authorities to ensure compliance with the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) policy and protocol on rehabilitation. It clarified that those who had not yet accepted their alternative allotment should immediately obtain their allotment letter upon due verification of documents and take possession of the allotted flats at Savda Ghevra.
Residents' Concerns and Court's Observations
Some residents challenged the eviction, arguing that the alternative accommodation was far from their current camps, endangering their livelihoods and affecting their children's education. However, the court noted that the land in question belonged to the central government and was currently occupied by the Army and the IAF. It also recorded that 192 dwellers had accepted allotment letters and 136 had taken possession of allotted flats. The court said that directing authorities to re-conduct the draw of lots would put the clock back for those who had accepted flats and would be detrimental to their interests.
Financial Aspects
The court took note of the Centre's stand that it had already released over Rs 65 crore to DUSIB for reserving flats at Savda Ghevra. While standard DUSIB policy requires each beneficiary to pay a contribution of Rs 1,200 and a five-year maintenance cost of Rs 30,000 in such cases, the 'beneficiary contribution' payable by petitioners has been substantially relaxed and will be borne by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
