310 families near Delhi’s Nigam Bodh Ghat get 15-day eviction notice over Yamuna flood risk

 

: More than 300 families living near Nigam Bodh Ghat along the Yamuna riverbank in Delhi have been issued eviction notices and asked to vacate the area within 15 days ahead of the monsoon season.

The notices were served to residents of the Yamuna Bazar colony in Old Delhi, where around 310 families live on land classified as part of the Yamuna floodplain under Delhi’s environmentally sensitive O-Zone category.

According to the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), the settlement is located on Delhi Development Authority-owned land and faces repeated flooding whenever the Yamuna water level rises during the monsoon.

The order, issued under Section 34 of the Disaster Management Act, described the settlement as an illegal encroachment and warned residents to remove their belongings voluntarily within the given deadline.

Authorities said the low-lying area remains highly vulnerable to flooding and poses risks to life, livestock and property during heavy rains. Officials also noted that repeated flooding forces emergency evacuation and rehabilitation operations every year, putting pressure on government resources.

Residents of the colony gathered after receiving the notices and questioned the timing of the eviction drive. Several claimed matters related to the land are already pending before the Delhi High Court and alleged that a stay against eviction exists.

Many residents also raised concerns about rehabilitation and relocation, asking where they would move if demolition action begins before the arrival of the monsoon.

The Yamuna floodplains have remained under focus since the severe floods of 2023, when rising river levels submerged several low-lying parts of Delhi and forced thousands into relief camps.

Authorities have intensified anti-encroachment drives along the Yamuna floodplain in recent years, citing environmental concerns and flood safety measures.