The Times of India 27.08.2010
Slumdwellers to vacate land near stadium
NEW DELHI: Thyagaraj Stadium will not have slum clusters around for the Commonwealth Games.
The slum dwellers on Thursday indicated to the Delhi high court their willingness to be relocated to an alternate rehabilitation site, paving the way for removal of the slum near the stadium, which is one of the Games venue.
After recording their willingness, a special bench comprising Justice B D Ahmed and Justice S Muralidhar directed MCD to provide basic facilities to 18 families who have volunteered. The judges also asked the civic agency to supply tarpaulin covers to them before they move to the proposed location adjacent to a wall on the road side under a bridge at Prem Nagar, on August 28 and 29. The court also made it clear that this was a temporary arrangement in view of the Games and a permanent relocation would be done by the agency as per the court’s previous order.
The bench also directed MCD to conduct a survey of the family members of all dwelling units and take their photographs so that it would be easier for the agency to relocate them permanently.
Last week, MCD had moved HC seeking its permission for removal of the slum cluster in view of upcoming Commonwealth Games.
After facing difficulty due to an order passed by a division bench on February 11 restraining it from removing any slum cluster without their relocation, MCD filed an application before a bench of Justice B D Ahmed and Justice S Muralidhar for clarification.
The bench had then directed MCD officials and the counsel for parties to visit the place for relocation of about 16 families and find a remedy for their rehabilitation by Saturday, before removing them from the slum clusters near Tyagraj stadium.
The agency informed HC that about 16 families had occupied a small but crucial triangular space near the venue, blocking the road connecting to the stadium. It said during Commonwealth Games, there would be movement of thousands of people both on foot and in vehicles which would endanger the lives of these people.
“Their squatting is by way of a few temporary jhuggies made of plastic/tarpaulin sheets…The jhuggies block the clear line of sight of oncoming traffic, in addition posing a constant danger to their lives,” submitted the civic agency.
“Modify the direction issued in the judgment of February 11, 2010 and clarify that for the time being MCD may shift these jhuggie dwellers to a safer temporary alternate site so as to facilitate the construction of a clear road connecting Tyagraj stadium and Jawaharlal Nehru stadium,” MCD prayed in its fresh plea.
