The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed more than 350 residents living in three informal settlements near the Prime Minister’s official residence to vacate their dwellings within six weeks and shift to alternative accommodation at Savda Ghevra in outer Delhi.
A division bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia disposed of appeals filed by the residents of B.R. Camp (also known as Bhai Ram Camp), Masjid Camp and DID Colony, upholding the earlier decision to relocate them. The court fixed a clear timeline for the process.
“The appellants shall vacate their dwelling units in the three jhuggi jhopri bastis at B.R. Camp, Masjid Camp and DID Colony within six weeks from today. Within this period, they shall be settled in the accommodation allotted to them in DUSIB Colony at Savda Ghevra, Delhi, whereafter they shall be evicted to clear the land, if necessary, with the assistance of police,” the bench ordered.
The three clusters are located in the Race Course area close to the Prime Minister’s residence at Lok Kalyan Marg. Authorities had earlier cited the sites’ proximity to an operational Air Force station and national security considerations as grounds for the relocation.
The High Court also constituted a seven-member monitoring committee headed by a retired judicial officer to oversee the rehabilitation process for six months, with the possibility of a two-month extension if required. The panel includes senior officials from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), the Delhi Development Authority, the Delhi Jal Board, and the directorates of education and health. The Land and Development Office has been directed to notify the committee’s formation immediately.
In its detailed order, the court stressed that rehabilitation must be meaningful and protect the residents’ right to live with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution. It directed DUSIB to arrange transport for the residents’ household belongings to the new location, in line with existing protocols.
The bench further made clear that authorities must fully honour earlier commitments and court directions regarding essential amenities at Savda Ghevra. These include access to schools, electricity, LPG connections, bus passes, dispensaries and other basic facilities.
The ruling came on appeals challenging a single-judge order of May 11 that had given the residents only 15 days to leave. The division bench extended the deadline while rejecting the main arguments against relocation, including the claim that the site more than 40 km away violated the preference for rehabilitation within a 5 km radius. The court noted that the applicable policy allows relocation beyond that distance in exceptional circumstances when no suitable nearby options exist.
The government had initiated the eviction process in October 2025. Some residents had already accepted allotments and moved, while others continued to contest the shift, citing distance from workplaces and concerns over infrastructure at the new colony.
