Delhi: Homeless along AI Summit venue claim ‘forceful’ eviction

As New Delhi readies for the AI Impact Summit 2026, homeless individuals face eviction, with officials citing health and safety as reasons for relocation.

As New Delhi prepares Bharat Mandapam for the upcoming AI Impact Summit 2026 – with fresh wall art, flower plantations and last-minute road repairs – shelter-;ess people living in areas close to summit venues alleged that they are being asked to vacate the area.

A person sleeping on the footpath near Bhairon temple. (HT)

Officials, however, maintain that the exercise is aimed at relocating vulnerable people to government-run shelters in view of winter conditions, health concerns and security arrangements at key venues.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) issued an order on February 4 directing the relocation of shelterless individuals to government facilities. “Keeping in view the winter season during the summit period, as well as the imperative to maintain public health, safety, cleanliness, and a dignified urban environment, it is essential that such homeless persons are shifted well in advance to appropriate shelter facilities, with due care for their welfare and basic needs,” it said.

Officials at the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) confirmed that they received MCD’s communication and, in a February 13 letter, instructed shelter management agencies to “immediately commence rescue drives” and ensure that homeless persons are moved to the nearest shelters.

A senior police officer said teams were deployed for security checks. “People who were found encroaching outside Bharat Mandapam and other important venues were asked to leave keeping in mind the security requirements at these sensitive locations,” the officer said. He added that police had not moved any homeless people.

‘Where do I go?’

For Mahipal, 45, who has lived near Bhairon Mandir for five years, Thursday was spent shuttling between the temple and Dargah Matka Peer, seeking refuge from eviction drives. “I have nothing to eat today because I couldn’t beg. Half my time was spent hiding away from the police,” he said. With barricades limiting footfall, few visitors came to the temple. “I came here just to get a few hours of sleep at night and will go to the dargah in the morning.”

On Mathura Road, street hawkers whose stalls double as beds were told to clear the area. A tea seller near the dargah said police took multiple rounds, instructing vendors to leave and return only after February 20. “Put the stall somewhere else or take a holiday for a few days,” he was told.

Reshma, 55, a garland maker at Marghat Hanuman Mandir, said she cannot question sudden eviction orders. “The police tell us high-ranking officials are coming, so empty the area. We might be shelterless, but we do have certain belongings. We can hide for some time, but at this age, where do I run with my clothes, utensils and beddings?”

Sonu, 35, a rag picker sleeping under a railway bridge, described the streets as communities of familiarity. “People from the same village or state stay together. But we can’t argue with the police. Even if we utter a single sentence, they are ready with sticks and foul language.”