State, Centre did little to stop SC order on removal of slums along railway tracks: Maken

Maken hit out at both the Central and state governments and asked why they didn’t inform the SC about the protocols laid down for rehabilitation of slums dwellers in Delhi, after a high court judgment in March 2019.

Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken on Monday slammed the AAP government in Delhi and BJP-led Centre for doing little to stop the Supreme Court’s recent order to remove 48,000 slum dwellings on railway land within 90 days.

Congress leader Ajay Maken (ANI)

Maken hit out at both the Central and state governments and asked why they didn’t inform the SC about the protocols laid down for rehabilitation of slums dwellers in Delhi, after a high court judgment in March 2019.

“The state and Central governments are just issuing statements, but none of them have taken steps to address the issue. When the matter was being heard by the SC, why didn’t the Delhi government and the Centre inform the court about the protocol in place for the rehabilitation slum dwellers,” said Maken, who had filed a petition challenging the SC’s August 31 order.

The former Delhi Congress chief also said that those impacted by the order, the slum residents, were not even represented when the court had ordered removal of their dwelling units.

Maken also hit out at the Delhi government for delay in allotting vacant houses constructed for those belonging to the economically weaker sections. Maken, a former Union urban development minister, said that between February 2007 and June 2013, the Centre had sanctioned funds for the construction of 67,784 flats.

“Under JNNURM and Rajiv Awas Yojana, close to R1,300 crore was given to the Delhi government. There are 35,000 flats lying vacant and 16,000 flats are under construction, which should have been ready long back. They (the AAP government) have not been able to allot these flats. It has been seven years, the 16,000 flats should have been ready by now,” said Maken.