Panic Grips Batla House Residents As Fresh Eviction Notices Appear On Doors

Mohammad Usman, 65, the eldest of seven siblings, moved into his one-room home in Khasra No. 279 as a child. Today, the two-storey house shelters seven families - most of whom are gig workers. “My parents bought this house with every penny they had. Where are we supposed to go?” Usman asked.

Usman - along with other residents of his neighbourhood - received a Delhi government authorised eviction notice on Monday, May 26. With no savings or alternative housing options, the family fears becoming homeless. They are given 15 days to vacate their home.

Batla House, situated in the larger Jamia Nagar neighborhood of Okhla, is one of the most populated localities in the national capital. The eviction orders follow the Supreme Court’s May 7 ruling, which declared that their houses fall outside the scope of the PM-UDAY scheme and are therefore considered illegal encroachments.

The region became popular after a Bollywood movie based on real events. ‘Batla House’ stars John Abraham and is set in the aftermath of the 2008 Batla House encounter that claimed the lives of two alleged Indian Mujahideen terrorists responsible for multiple bombings across India. 

More recently, the muslim-domaniated neighborhood has emerged as a hub famous for its eateries, especially during the month of Ramzan, and a one-stop destination for Eid shopping - competing with the historic Chandni Chowk. 

While some pockets of the colony are authorized by the PM-UDAY (Prime Minister – Unauthorised Colonies in Delhi Awas Adhikar Yojana) Scheme, others happen to be outside its purview. “This building/structure has been found to be an illegal/unauthorized structure falling in Khasra No. 279, Village Okhla outside PM-UDAY colony boundary,” the notice stated.

PM-UDAY, decided by the Union Cabinet, confers the ownership or transfer and mortgage rights to the residents of 1731 Unauthorized Colonies in Delhi. 

Under the scheme, the residents are allowed to sell, purchase the properties without any hindrance. They can also avail loans from banks and financial institutions against their properties. 

“The occupants of this building/structure are hereby directed to vacate the premises within 15 days of issuance of this notice. The demolition program shall be carried out from 11-06-2025 (Wednesday) without any further notice,” the notice further mentioned.

The residents - some of whom have spent their entire lives in the locality - are now clueless about what their next course of action should be. The move threatens both shelter and livelihoods.

The tightly packed neighbourhood populated with Jamia Millia Islamia University’s students in addition to the original residents - lies on the border of the National Capital Territory and Uttar Pradesh. It is now caught in the middle of eviction notices from Delhi’s Development Authority and Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department. 

Last week, people in Khasra Number 277, woke up to demolition warnings and red crosses marking their doors, stating that the colony land belonged to the Irrigation Department of the Government of Uttar Pradesh. The two colonies are only just separated by a narrow lane.

“I have no idea what to do. I have been renting this shop since 2014 - why are they asking us to vacate now?” said one shop owner, whose store overlooks the boundary separating a field from the road.

“This field belongs to the Uttar Pradesh government; they marked it off decades ago. So why leave the rest untouched?” another local added. Both requested anonymity, fearing possible repercussions.

Out of a total land area measuring nine bigha and three biswa, DDA is currently in possession of five bigha and 15 biswa. Of this, three bigha and five biswa fall under the coverage of the PM-UDAY Scheme.

The remaining two bigha and 10 biswa lie outside the purview of the scheme. The Court has directed the DDA to initiate demolition proceedings.

“We have not had any food since the day they arrived with the notices. We don’t even have money to buy a juggi (hut),” Usman said, sitting in his already congested home with barely one-room assigned to each family.

His neighbor, Balbir Singh, a fruit vendor, said he has all the documents proving he legally purchased the house and has been paying electricity and gas bills for decades. He is taken aback by the timing of the notice, which he says is the first one the area has ever received.

“We’ve been living here since before there were any autos in the area,” said Zubeda Khatun, as a constant stream of e-rickshaws sped past her in the bustling lanes of Batla House, lined with shops on the ground floors. “This is not what we voted for.”

The muslim-dominated neighborhood, with its canopy of electric wires and serpentine alleys, sits near the under-construction Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. A shop owner who wished to stay anonymous believes this could be the reason for the sudden notice.

The Supreme Court’s order stated that occupants who are aggrieved by notices of demolition are free to adopt appropriate proceedings in accordance with law. The Court on Thursday, May 29, agreed to hear an application filed against the demolition notices next week. The application was filed by 40 persons who say that they are genuine residents and property owners of Khasra Nos. 271 and 279, Batla House, as per Live Law.

However, it remains all the same for the residents of Khasra No. 279. 

Mohd Ashraf Farooqui, the lawyer who secured a stay on the demolition notice for adjoining Johri Farm on May 19, stated that there appears to be no clear reason for the eviction drive at this time. “It is illegal and arbitrary,” he asserted.

“They are doing this to us in the middle of summer, just as Eid approaches. Do they expect us to sit on the road with our children?” said Usman’s niece, pointing to the eviction notice pasted on their rusted door.

The government has not offered compensation or relocation to the people. However, residents remain determined to stay in their homes for as long as possible.

“Even birds fight for their nests. We too will fight for our homes. We do not have any other option,” a local said. Father of three - he said he fears for his children’s education - explaining that with his modest income from working in medical tourism, building a new home is simply beyond reach. “I am certain that we are targeted because of our religion.”