Across a bend along the Yamuna, beneath the towering pillars of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, 22-year-old Marjeena sits outside what remains of the city’s old Dhobi Ghat, wondering how long her family would be able to call this place home.
Her anxiety mirrors that of hundreds of families living along the Yamuna floodplains after two eviction notices — one issued by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for settlements in O-Zone and another by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) for around 310 dwellings in Yamuna Bazaar — directed residents to vacate their homes within 15 days, failing which, demolition drives will be undertaken to clear the encroachments.
“Even if this demolition had happened four or five years later, we could have managed,” Marjeena says. “By then, we might have saved enough to move somewhere else.”
An aerial view of the Dhobi Ghat slums
After a quick scan of the maze of jhuggis around her, she says, “It is not a good place to live. Drugs are consumed here and children can easily fall into bad company. This place should go but only if we are given another place to stay.”
Her relatives had “long ago been given flats to stay in Bawana after similar eviction drives”, she claims.
Most residents in the settlements are Muslim migrants from Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, working as carpenters, daily wage labourers, ragpickers and domestic workers. Many children attend nearby government schools.
Under the Delhi Master Plan, the O-Zone covers the Yamuna floodplains, where construction is restricted to protect the river’s natural ecology, prevent flood risks and preserve green buffers. Any habitation in this zone is considered unauthorised.
Story continues below this ad
On April 30, the DDA, citing a Delhi High Court order in Vijay Diwakar & Others vs SDMC matter, issued a public notice directing removal of all encroachments in O-Zone. The notice, issued by the DDA Deputy Director (Parks), said demolition of unauthorised residential and commercial structures — excluding colonies covered under the PM-UDAY scheme — would begin after May 15. Residents were asked to vacate or face demolition.
As part of compliance of another court order (Shakarpur Slum Union vs DDA), the notice listed temporary shelter options for the affected families, including rain baseras in Batla House and near Sarai Kale Khan.
On May 5, the DDMA issued notices to around 310 dwellers in Yamuna Bazaar, citing “illegal encroachment” along the Yamuna floodplain gets inundated every monsoon and poses risks to human life, cattle and property. Maintaining that “…the recurring flood emergency response measures result in strain on public resources and public exchequer, the notice said that “continued occupation of the floodplain area constitutes a potential disaster risk”.
The notice also gave the residents 15 days to vacate their homes before demolition action begins. Unlike the DDA notice, however, the DDMA notice makes no mention of temporary shelters or rehabilitation.
Story continues below this ad
According to the residents, they would have to pay at least Rs 3,000 as rent for a room in nearby areas. “It is so expensive with children to feed and family to look after. How can we afford rooms costing more than Rs 4,000? Some are even asking for Rs 6,000,” says Suraj Mandal (35), a Bengali Muslim who does carpentry work.
Mohammad Shadiq Hussain, hailing from Bihar, adds, “Demolitions had been held earlier as well. We were never informed… All we ask is where we are supposed to live.”
As torn eviction notices lie scattered outside several jhuggis, Ruksana Begum (30) says many initially refused to believe the notices were meant for them.
“Where will we go?” is a question repeated across the settlement by women, children and elderly alike. None have found a place to stay yet.
Story continues below this ad
A senior Delhi government official says, “Only temporary structures on the floodplains have been issued notices, not all residents of Yamuna Bazaar.”
A senior DDA official tells The Indian Express that the drive was being carried out in compliance with HC directions. “It is as per Delhi High Court directions to remove encroachments from the O-Zone,” the official adds.
Sucheta De, who represents Dhobhi Ghat Jhuggi Adhikar Manch — affiliated with All India Central Council of Trade Unions — maintains the demolition is “anti-poor and anti-working class”.
“So many big projects have been developed on these floodplains… Calling this an environmentally sensitive matter and threatening demolitions is simply not justified. The question of displacement also doesn’t arise if the residents are not being rehabilitated,” she adds.
