Delhi High Court Directs NDMC, Police To Remove Unauthorised Squatting In Sarojini Nagar Market, Ensure Compliance Of Judicial Orders

The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the North Delhi Municipal Corporation as well as the Delhi Police to remove unauthorised squatting in city's Sarojini Nagar market area and also to ensure strict compliance of it's earlier orders.

Appreciating the efforts already undertaken by the authorities, Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Jasmeet Singh sought status reports from the NDMC and Delhi Police to see further progress in the matter while posting it for further hearing in May.

Earlier, the Court had expressed concern regarding overcrowding of thousands of people in the Sarojini Nagar market while pulling up the authorities over non compliance of the previous orders passed by the Court.

"Frightening State Of Affairs, Hundreds Of People Can Die In Stampede": Delhi High Court Concerned On Overcrowding In Sarojini Nagar Market

Accordingly, the Court had directed the authorities concerned to install poles with chains and mark the floors in the market with white paint so as to specify the area within which the shopkeepers and squatters have to carry out their activities. The bench had also directed the authorities to comply with the directions issued by the Court that no goods must be left at the site and must be removed everyday.

Today, the Court was of the view that effective steps were taken by the NDMC and police authorities in order to reduce, if not completely remove, the unauthorised squatting and vending in the Sarojini Nagar market area.

"We would like to see further progress in the matter while we appreciate the efforts already undertaken. Let further status reports be filed before the next date. In the meantime we direct the NDMC and the Delhi Police to continue to keep vigil and to remove unauthorised squatting in the Sarojini Nagar market area and to ensure that our orders are strictly complied with," the Court added.

The Bench said that the task force should continue to perform its duties as before.

Accordingly, the Court directed the NDMC to state effective steps taken by it for the purpose of installation of fencing in the market area in the next status report.

Likewise, the Court also directed the Delhi Police to indicate the aspect of procurement of equipment to have the head count of people in the market. The Court also said that the status report shall include the steps taken by the police for installation of CCTV cameras in the area.

Earlier, the Court had remarked "The state of affairs is such that covid or no covid, what we saw it's frightening. There could be a stampede. There could be hundreds of deaths."

Observing that there was absolutely no improvement in the situation on the ground, the Court had directed the Police to work out on a movement plan for the people who visit the Sarojni Nagar market.

It had also directed that the goods seized from hawkers and vendors who are found hawking and vending in the Sarojini nagar market shall not be released to them without Court's order.

Case Title: Sh Kuldeep Singh Sahani & Ors vs Government Of Nct Of Delhi & Ors