The recent evictions across different Khasras in Delhi’s Okhla village have left thousands of families in imminent danger of being homeless. On May 26, 2025, the residents received an eviction notice from the South-East Land Management of the Delhi Development Authority. The notice states that residents of Khasra No. 279 in Okhla village are given 15 days to vacate the premises, after which the structures will be demolished.
For the last 40 to 50 years, this area has had more than two hundred houses, several other shops, and local businesses. DDA claims that the said area lies outside the PM-UDAY colony boundary. The PM-UDAY yojana was launched on October 29, 2018, to provide ownership rights to lakhs of residents of 1731 unauthorised colonies.
After the DDA had pasted a notice in Khasra Numbers 277 and 279, residents allege that fresh notices were sent to Khasra Nos. 281-285, on the Muradi Road in Batla House, which are not covered under the court’s verdict.
Residents are in Panic and accuse the DDA of taking unlawful action in a Muslim Majority area for political gains. Despite complaining about it to the officials, the response from the officials is just, “We are just following Court orders.”
The eviction notice pasted in Khasra no 279 says it is in response to the Supreme Court order passed on May 7, 2025, regarding the Contempt Petition filed in Writ petition referred to in the notice is WP(C) 4677/1985, a Public Interest Litigation—M.C. Mehta v. Union of India & Others. The PIL concerned the question of polluting industries in Delhi and relocating them outside the city of Delhi, among other related issues, to which the court has made several recommendations to prevent environmental degradation and the hazardous impact of industries.
The notice said: “Whereas, the land of khasra number 279 village Okhla is acquired DDA/Government land…and a part of the subject land has unauthorised encroachment.”
Residents say that the Contempt petition was filed to settle personal grudges, and now everyone here is troubled for their personal reasons. “The petition was filed, targeting three buildings, claiming that this is DDA land and that illegal construction is happening. They had their personal interests to do so,” a resident said.
“The Supreme Court made the party of the DDA and the Delhi Government. The DDA demarcated the land one and a half months ago, and they have reported that it is a heavily built-up area that is encroached upon,” he said.
“The government says that this land belongs to DDA. We have been living here for 50 years. There was no DDA before. Where will we go now, to the roads?” one of them asks.
Earlier, People from Khasra 277 received the notice claiming that the land, which belongs to the UP Irrigation Department, is also claimed to be “Lal Dore Ki Zameen,” meaning that it is marked with a red line to indicate that it is residential, inhabited by villages, and for non-agricultural use.
This case is different from Khasra No. 279. Residents of 277 say that they will approach the Saket Civil Court, while People in the 279 area are seeking a stay from the Supreme Court.
“Whoever’s house is outside the PM-UDAY will be demolished. This is an injustice. This is after the BJP came. People say that houses not even in the purview of 279 will be demolished,” another resident added.
