NEW DELHI: In a major eviction drive against encroachment of public land, the Land and Development Office (L&DO) under the Union housing and urban affairs ministry cleared almost 15 acres of prime land in Khyber Pass in Civil Lines area on Saturday.
Sources said the current market value of the large patch of around 32 acres, including the cleared portion, in the area is estimated at over Rs 2,000 crore. The Nazul land (govt land) is owned by the L&DO and it was given to the defence ministry in 1935. There were hutments, known as Khyber Pass Hostel, for accommodation of the support staff of defence personnel. The cleared portion is worth around Rs 1,000 crore.
Officials said though the eviction was to begin from March 4, it was stopped at the direction of Delhi High Court. After the matter was examined at length by HC and a judgment was passed on July 9 upholding the eviction order, the L&DO carried out the eviction on Saturday.
They added that such valuable land cannot be allowed to be occupied by few individuals for the benefit of few at loss to the govt. The eviction was carried out with support of Delhi Police, Delhi administration, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Central Public Works Department, sources said.
Some of the occupants had earlier taken the matter to the Delhi High Court seeking relief after the L&DO had issued a public notice to the occupants on March 1, 2024 to vacate. The occupants had claimed that the hostels were allotted to their fathers and grand-fathers about 70 years back and hence they were entitled to resettlement.
Challenging the eviction notice, petitioners had pleaded before the HC that they could not be evicted by following the due process of law as they were inducted by the “Officers of the Armed Forces” to cater to their needs and they were paying rents.
The high court, in its order, took note that the petitioners did not show any document as to who inducted them and said since this issue requires leading of evidence, the petitioners needed to file suit and lead evidence to show that they were inducted lawfully by persons who were competent to do so.
Relying on the affidavit of the petitioners, which mentioned that no rent has been paid by them after 2001 and, the HC observed that the “petitioners cannot be called as legal occupants of the land in question and are rank trespassers”. It also rejected the argument that the petitioners were inducted lawfully and that they are authorised occupants.
Dismissing the petition, the court said it “does not find any reason” to quash the notice dated March 1, 2024.
