Centre to SC: No removal of 48,000 jhuggis along rail tracks for now
New Delhi, Sep 14 : The Centre on Monday informed the Supreme Court that for the time being there will be no removal of 48,000 slums along the railway tracks in Delhi.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Centre, submitted before a bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde that the Railways, urban development ministry and Delhi government will sit together and find a solution in four weeks and till then there will be no demolition of slums along the train tracks.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi submitted before the bench that the court should order a status quo. The bench replied that it will not, as the Centre has already stated that there will be status quo till a decision is taken.
Mehta replied that such demolitions may have taken place in pursuance to some other matter, but not in this case. Delhi government counsel contended before the court that the government will fully co-operate in regard to the laws and rules in place for rehabilitation. The top court has listed the matter after four weeks.
Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken had moved the Supreme Court challenging its order to remove nearly 48,000 jhuggis along the railway tracks in Delhi. On August 31, the Supreme Court had ordered removal of around 48,000 slum dwellings across railway tracks in Delhi within three months and said no political interference will be entertained in the matter.
Maken, in an intervention application, said the agencies – Ministry of Railways, Delhi government etc, – have already initiated the process identification and removal of jhuggis and have issued demolition notices in various slums in Delhi.