Residents of Bharu Marg in Jaipur had prior knowledge of this eviction about five years ago, when the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA), during the Ashok Gehlot government, issued encroachment notices for structures described as unauthorised. Some residents said that, at that time, JDA did not pull down any construction because the government chose to abandon the road-widening plan after pressure from residents.
"All the building owners who were served notices now got similar notices in 2021. But at that time, after dialogues with several political leaders in power, the state government decided to drop the plan of widening the road," said Kailash Meena, adding that a part of his building was demolished in the May 22 drive.
Residents said they knew that some parts of their buildings were considered illegal after the Master Plan 2025 came into force in September 2011. Under this Master Plan, Bharu Marg was marked as 80 feet wide. Many residents received their pattas from JDA between 2017 and 2019, and those documents clearly stated that the road was 80 feet wide.
Why Was the Road Only 40 Feet Wide?
So why did the owners build their houses in a way that reduced the width of Bharu Road to just 40 feet? The owners argued that the buildings identified by JDA as illegal were constructed in the 1980s and 1990s on society pattas. As per the society patta, the road was shown as 40 feet wide, and the builders sold plots on that basis.
"JDA changed the width of the road to 80 feet after the railways constructed the second track of the adjacent railway track. In short, we have lost a portion of our property, which our forefathers purchased from the builders in the 80s and 90s. Going by the present valuation and market rate, I have lost property worth more than a crore due to this eviction," said Amitesh Dadhich, another resident.
Impact on Residents
The eviction drive has left many families in distress, as they have lost not only their homes but also significant financial value. The discrepancy between the society patta and the Master Plan has created confusion and hardship for the residents, who feel they are being penalized for relying on documents provided by the builders.
Residents are now seeking compensation or alternative arrangements from the JDA, but the authority has maintained that the eviction was necessary to comply with the Master Plan and ensure proper road width for public use.
