The Delhi High Court has instructed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to clear all illegal constructions and encroachments along the Yamuna river bank, riverbed, and associated drains. The court’s bench, led by acting chief justice Manmohan and justice Tushar Rao Gedela, issued this order on July 8, which was made public recently. The directive came in response to a plea seeking the demolition of unauthorized structures along the Yamuna’s banks and preventing future encroachments.
The bench specified that the Vice Chairman of DDA, also appointed as the nodal officer, must coordinate with various authorities including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Police, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi Pollution Control Board, and Forest Department. The Vice Chairman was instructed to convene a meeting with these officials within a week to address the issue.
The petitioner, Shabnam Burney, highlighted ongoing illegal constructions without proper permissions, posing risks to the ecologically sensitive floodplain and causing air pollution affecting nearby residents’ health.
Central Government Standing Counsel Apoorv Kurup acknowledged that encroachments on the floodplain divert water flow, contributing to floods in surrounding areas. He emphasized that experts attribute Delhi’s flooding partly to these encroachments on drains, riverbanks, and riverbeds, which hinder the natural flow of water in the Yamuna.
The Delhi government and Delhi Police, represented by advocate Avishkar Singhvi, informed the court that they had forwarded multiple complaints regarding illegal constructions on the riverbank to DDA and MCD for necessary action. They requested the court to issue directives while assuring full cooperation from their end.
Advocate Ajay Arora, representing MCD, assured the court of complete cooperation with DDA and DMRC in carrying out the removal of illegal constructions.