GHAZIABAD: The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has issued demolition notices to 172 households in the Babu Jagjivan Ram Colony located in Rajendra Nagar. The GDA asserts that this colony occupies 2,864 sqm of land originally designated as a park around 50 years ago. Residents have been granted a 15-day period to demolish their homes, failing which the GDA will initiate demolition efforts.
An official from the GDA indicated that a petition was filed with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2023, bringing this issue to public attention. The original case is ongoing. “In 2024, a meeting, chaired by the then chief secretary, was convened addressing the matter. It was resolved to demolish illegal structures, such as houses, roads, and industrial units built on park land. Consequently, the notices were dispatched to the residents, allowing the GDA to proceed with demolition at their discretion,” the official explained.
Controversially, Sushil Raghav, the petitioner of the original case, asserts that the Babu Jagjivan Ram Colony was not included in his petition to the NGT. “In 1962, a private developer obtained approval for the colony layout from the improvement board, now GDA. According to the layout, 12,040 sqm was designated as park land. My original application only mentioned a few industrial units that constructed a road through the park; Babu Jagjivan Ram Colony was not mentioned. It appears the GDA later discovered that the colony was also built on park land after conducting a survey following the case,” he stated. When questioned about the timing of the notice, Raghav pointed out, “The case was discussed in the NGT on Wednesday, prompting the GDA to take some form of action to present before the bench.”
In a related development, the government’s counsel informed the NGT that a review meeting, led by the chief secretary, is scheduled for July 13. The NGT has allowed this, but mandates an action report to be submitted within three weeks. The subsequent hearing is set for August 29, leaving uncertainty regarding whether the GDA will commence the demolition prior to this date.
As residents anxiously await further developments, many expressed their concerns. Ratan, a resident, said, “Our families have lived here for nearly 50 years. Many of those who purchased land have since passed away. Now, after so many years, we are being told our homes are illegal and face demolition. If it was indeed illegal, why did the authorities allow these properties to be sold? Shouldn’t they bear some responsibility? Where will we go?”
