Amid mounting criticism over the demolition of Madrasi Camp in Jangpura, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on June 8 firmly defended the action, stating it was mandated by the judiciary to avert a flood disaster similar to the one witnessed in 2023. Speaking at the inauguration of a new “Jan Sewa Camp” at the Nehru Camp JJ Cluster in Haiderpur, CM Gupta addressed the demolition head-on, calling it a “necessary, court-directed step to protect the city and its residents.”
“The court ordered the removal of the encroachments four times. The slum sat directly on the Barapullah drain, which is critical for monsoon water outflow. Had we not acted, we risked repeating the flood havoc of 2023,” Gupta said. “This was not a political call. It was a legal obligation.”
The demolition, carried out on June 1, sparked outrage from opposition leaders and activists, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accusing the BJP-led administration of displacing vulnerable populations. Gupta, however, turned the spotlight back on the judiciary’s role, stating, “When the court gives a directive, the administration is duty-bound to follow it. If floods took lives again, who would be accountable then?”
Reassuring concerns over displacement, Gupta said residents were not thrown out without a plan. “All affected families had been allotted alternate housing prior to the eviction. The welfare of our citizens remains our top priority,” she noted.
The Chief Minister also revealed that similar court-ordered clearance drives were conducted at two other encroached sites, including one near the Railway Colony, where the Railways carried out the operation in compliance with judicial directives.
CM Gupta’s remarks came during the launch of a 24-seater Jan Sewa Camp (JSC), a government service center aimed at making public services more accessible to residents of underprivileged JJ (Jhuggi Jhopdi) clusters. She highlighted the government’s dual commitment—to upholding the law and ensuring equitable development.
“The Jan Sewa Camp in Haiderpur is another example of our resolve to bring governance closer to people who need it the most. We are not just demolishing unsafe structures; we are building safer, better alternatives,” she said.
She also hit back at AAP leaders including Arvind Kejriwal, Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Atishi for “politicizing” a matter of public safety. “They ignore the ground realities—encroachments on critical drains cannot be overlooked. These aren’t arbitrary decisions; they are legal mandates for the safety of all Delhiites,” Gupta asserted.
Highlighting the government’s ongoing developmental push, the Chief Minister said over Rs 700 crore worth of projects were currently in progress across the city, focusing on infrastructure upgrades, affordable housing, and urban flood management.
“In Delhi, development and safety must go hand-in-hand. We are committed to building a resilient city—one that doesn’t collapse every monsoon due to negligence,” she concluded.
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