Months after losing homes, residents of Delhi's Khyber Pass pin hopes on new govt for justice

Months after their homes were razed in a demolition drive, the displaced residents of the Khyber Pass area in north Delhi's Civil Lines queued up at polling booths on Wednesday with the hope that the upcoming government would provide them with permanent housing. The authorities conducted demolition drives in Khyber Pass on July 13 and August 4 last year. More than 250 houses were demolished to clear 15 acres of land.

While residents claimed they were not given adequate notice, the authorities maintained that the constructions were illegal.

Rekha, 30, who was among those displaced after the demolition drive, said, "We once had our own home but now we live as tenants because the place where we had been staying for decades suddenly collapsed one day."


"Mine is a middle-class family and with everything becoming more expensive, we now have the additional burden of paying rent. Our only hope from the upcoming government is that it would help us get our home back," she said.

Puja, in her 50s, also came to vote hoping that the new government would help her get justice.

"I have been staying at a relative's house. I came here to vote so that the new government works for us and gives us shelter," she said.

Anil Kumar, 45, said he lost both his home and shop, his source of income, in the demolition drive.

"I have two children who were studying here but we had to move in the middle of the academic year. Due to this, they faced difficulties in the admission process and their studies suffered," he said.

"Now, I am struggling to find a job. We had been living here for more than 60 years, the government should at least provide us with some compensation," he said.

Polling is underway at 13,766 stations across Delhi's 70 assembly constituencies with 699 candidates in the fray. The votes will be counted on February 8.