All major cities turning into slums: SC | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

All major cities turning into slums: SC

ByAbraham Thomas, New Delhi
Dec 17, 2021 04:32 AM IST

SC directed the demolition of nearly 1,200 slum units in Gujarat and Haryana

Encroachment on government land is a sad story going on in the country for 75 years, said the Supreme Court on Thursday as it directed the demolition of nearly 1,200 slum units in Gujarat and Haryana and directed the Indian Railways, state governments and concerned municipal authorities to equally bear the cost of compensating the affected residents for a period of six months till those eligible under existing government schemes are provided with alternative housing.

Ruing the fact that encroachment of public land is preventing planned development of cities at the expense of taxpayer money, a bench of justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and CT Ravikumar said, “This is a sad story going on in the country for 75 years and it is ultimately the taxpayers’ money that goes down the drain.”(Reuters Representative)
Ruing the fact that encroachment of public land is preventing planned development of cities at the expense of taxpayer money, a bench of justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and CT Ravikumar said, “This is a sad story going on in the country for 75 years and it is ultimately the taxpayers’ money that goes down the drain.”(Reuters Representative)

The slums situated in Surat and Faridabad were located on railways land; in the case of the Surat slum, the demolition was necessitated by the Surat-Udhna-Jalgaon railway line project, sanctioned in 2018.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

The cases wound their way up to the Supreme Court, which clubbed them since both concerned railway land.

Ruing the fact that encroachment of public land is preventing planned development of cities at the expense of taxpayer money, a bench of justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and CT Ravikumar said, “This is a sad story going on in the country for 75 years and it is ultimately the taxpayers’ money that goes down the drain.”

The court added: “It is time that local authorities get activated…All our major cities are turning into slums. If you (corporations) do not allow encroachments to happen, there will be planned development everywhere.”

While the Court said that the primary responsibility to prevent encroachment and protect government land is that of the local authority, it also apportioned the liability equally upon railways (owner of land in question) and the states. Together, the three will have to pay a solatium of 2000 per month to each of the households affected by the demolition for the next six months.

Unveiling Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!

Get Current Updates on India News, Election 2024, Arvind Kejriwal News Live, Bihar Board 10th Result 2024 Live along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On