New Delhi: As Delhi braced for chilly days ahead, hundreds were left without a roof over their heads after 500 slums were demolished by the railways on Saturday. A minor child was also allegedly killed during the anti-encroachment drive by the Railway police.
The razing led to a fresh confrontation between Delhi government and the Centre on Sunday. The drive and death of the baby evoked angry protests from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who wanted murder case to be registered. The demolition was carried out on Saturday at Shakur Basti in West Delhi in which 1200 slum units were removed, with the railways insisting that the action was necessary to clear the "encroachments" for expanding the infrastructure.
The railways said the demolition was carried out after three notices, the first one with the March 14, 2015 deadline. A six-month-old baby died in one of the slum units, which the railways insisted occurred two hours before the demolition started at 12 pm on Saturday. Police said prima facie the baby died after a heap of clothes fell on the child while his parents were preparing to move out of the jhuggi and hence no case is made out.
Kejriwal, while slamming the railways, suspended two Sub-Divisional Magistrates and another senior official for "failing to arrange" food and shelter for those evicted. As the controversy broke out, Delhi Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Arun Arora told a press conference that the child's death has no connection with the removal of encroachments which had become a "risk" for train operations as the slums were within the 15-metre of safety zone.
He said the National Green Tribunal had also ordered that the tracks should be cleared of solid waste and to ensure this the railways had to "remove the source". Arora said the slum dwellers were given first notice for vacating the land by March 14, 2015.
However, the demolition could not be undertaken then because police could not provide assistance then, Arora said. Subsequently, two more notices were given to them -- one with the deadline of September 30, 2015 and the last one with the deadline of December 12, 2015, he said.
"There is a need for constructing additional platforms, repairing yard, washing line, maintenance facility and office space for store and engineering division so that more long distance and local trains can be handled at the Shakur Basti station," another railway official said.
Kejriwal, who visited the site late last night, slammed the railways for undertaking the demolition drive at a time when the temperature saw a sharp drop. He ordered officials to immediately provide blankets and food to those who were rendered homeless following the drive.
He said, "A child has died here. It is a very sad thing and I think that a murder case should be registered against the officers. Compensation will be taken from them. It should be deducted from the salaries of the officers who have conducted these raids."
With PTI Inputs
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