Delhi, July18,2025: Thousands of families living in Delhi’s informal settlements and slums are facing a deepening displacement crisis, with sudden demolitions and the cutting of essential services like electricity and water. Court orders have triggered the removal of these settlements, pushing marginalized residents to the brink of survival.
From Jai Hind Camp in Vasant Kunj to Wazirpur in North Delhi, a disturbing picture of urban eviction and apathy is emerging—one that not only impacts the lives of the displaced but also raises serious concerns about the direction of Delhi’s urban development.
Jai Hind Camp: Living Without Electricity in Scorching Heat
Tucked beside the affluent neighborhoods of Vasant Kunj lies Jai Hind Camp, home to over 1,000 makeshift huts. The path leading to the camp is strewn with garbage and scrap, where the stench is almost unbearable. Flies swarm the air, and women try in vain to fight off the heat by fanning themselves, drenched in sweat. Children cry incessantly while the rain-filled narrow lanes have turned into muddy traps.
Most residents are migrant Muslim families from Cooch Behar, West Bengal, along with a few Hindu families. On the basis of a December 2024 court order, electricity to the entire camp was suddenly disconnected last week.
The land on which the camp stands is mired in a legal battle over ownership tied to Masoodpur village, with multiple claimants. Without individual connections, residents relied on electricity drawn informally from a local temple and mosque, both of which also had their connections cut.
The impact has been devastating.
Azizur Haque, a mall worker who has lived here for 20 years, couldn’t sleep all night and had to skip work. Pointing to the empty spot where the main electric meter used to be, he says,
“They removed the meter and the wires too. We’ve lived here for decades doing small jobs. How can we survive like this without electricity?”
Nearby, Papia Bibi, cradling her neighbor’s child, wipes the child’s sweat and pleads:
“They should’ve warned us. We could’ve arranged something. If they want to remove us, give us time. There are infants here, and no one even came to check how we are managing.”
At a small grocery stall, Hasan-ul-Haque vents his frustration:
“Are we not humans? Are we animals to be treated like this? My child is only two years old—where should we go? Kids cry all night. Someone should come live here for a day to understand our pain. We want freedom—freedom to have electricity, water, and toilets. We have nothing.”
As families begin packing their belongings and leave the camp, their faces reflect a mix of anger and helplessness. The tin-roofed shacks are now unbearably hot without electricity. Meanwhile, BSES Rajdhani, the power supplier, has neither commented nor responded to media inquiries.
A Larger Pattern: Is Forced Displacement on the Rise in Delhi?
The crisis at Jai Hind Camp is not an isolated case. Over the past few months, multiple slum settlements across Delhi have been razed under court orders.
At Bhoomihin Camp in Southeast Delhi, for example, hundreds of homes were demolished on June 11. While many were resettled with government-provided flats, some like elderly resident Deepa were left out due to lack of documentation.
Living under a temporary structure on the rubble of her old home, Deepa struggles in the heat.
“I raised my daughters here. My son still lives here. For 10 years, we’ve heard our slum would be removed. When demolition came closer in 2022, I got an Aadhaar card and some papers, but couldn’t manage a ration card,” she says.
Denied government housing, Deepa adds:
“Most people got flats, but those like me—without voter ID or ration card—got nothing. I just ask the government to give us a place to live. We may lack papers, but we are citizens too.”
The Human Cost of Urban ‘Development’
The plight of families in Jai Hind Camp and other slums highlights the dark side of Delhi’s urban expansion—where infrastructure dreams often come at the cost of displacing the very people who build and support the city’s economy through their labor.
As court orders continue and state agencies remain silent, the displaced are left without answers—or shelter.
The question remains: Can a city truly develop while turning a blind eye to its most vulnerable residents?
