DDA Demolishes Homes in Yamuna Bazaar, 310 Families Displaced
In a major enforcement action on Thursday, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), supported by heavy police deployment, carried out a demolition drive in the Yamuna Bazaar area. The operation targeted structures that the DDA says are illegal encroachments on the Yamuna floodplain.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) used earth movers to clear structures spread across 32 ghats along the Yamuna. Families had been served multiple eviction notices since May 7, giving them 15 days to vacate. While many families had already moved their belongings to rented accommodation in neighboring areas, others hoped for a last-minute reprieve. As the demolitions progressed, residents scrambled to salvage possessions from the rubble.
“Our electricity was disconnected early in the morning. Late at night, I heard that the demolition might take place the next day. I couldn’t sleep, but I hoped it would turn out to be another false alarm,” said 53-year-old Rani Yadav, who still had mattresses and household containers left to remove.
The action follows an order issued by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on May 7. The DDMA directed the DDA to reclaim floodplain land along the Yamuna, citing the risk of monsoon flooding. The DDMA held the DDA responsible for any future loss of life, property or cattle caused by flooding if encroachments were not removed. The order specifically targeted 310 families living on “illegally occupied floodplain land.”
Families whose livelihoods depend on the river and its ecosystem expressed deep uncertainty about their future. Many earn a living by performing funeral rites or fishing along the ghats.
Nishi Devi, a resident, said: “We have children who go to school, their admissions are done and the session has already started... There is no alternative accommodation for us. Why? When the government demolishes jhuggis (slums), don’t they provide another place to move? Didn’t they get our votes when we lived on the Yamuna ghat?”
Another resident, Santosh, whose family has conducted funeral rites at the ghats for generations, said: “We had a small structure where we kept the items needed to perform rituals. Even that has been demolished. We don’t know whether we will be allowed to return here to continue our work. It is very distressing.”
The DDA has not announced any alternative housing arrangement for the displaced families. The eviction notices warned residents to vacate voluntarily or face demolition. The operation is part of the DDA's ongoing efforts to clear encroachments from the Yamuna floodplain, which the DDMA has classified as a high-risk zone during the monsoon season.
