New Delhi: The people residing alongside the KN Katju road in Delhi’s Rohini area were left agonised as their illegally constructed huts were demolished by the Municipal Corporation on Thursday May 12.
The shanties that were razed to the ground were constructed on the pavement of the main road, i.e., on the government land. As the officials of the civic body arrived there, the people, rather than resisting the drive, were seen removing the temporarily constructed structures.
The special encroachment removal drive was fixed by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation along with other departments to remove temporary and permanent encroachment from the government land, footpaths, and pedestrian pathways in the areas that come under their jurisdiction.
“We have been residing here for the past 25 years and there was no problem. We are not Bangladeshis or Rohingyas. Decades ago we came from Rajasthan,” Ram Lal Solanki, whose dwelling was demolished, told IANS.
When asked where they will go now, the dolorous Solanki said they have no place to go and will reside on the same pavement, sans a roof over head.
Another woman named Bimla, while speaking to IANS, expressed similar sentiments. “I have four sons and as many daughter-in-laws. My grandchildren are studying in school. We won’t go anywhere and stay here only,” she said.
After removing over 300 shanties, the demolition process for Thursday was almost completed in the area and the JCB bulldozers were now removing the debris on the footpath.
