In a significant move to clear encroachment on public land, the Land and Development Office (L&DO) of the Union housing and urban affairs ministry successfully reclaimed nearly 15 acres of prime land in Khyber Pass, Civil Lines area in New Delhi. The current market value of the entire 32-acre area, which includes the cleared portion, is estimated to be over Rs 2,000 crore. The land, originally Nazul land owned by L&DO and later transferred to the defense ministry in 1935, had hutments known as Khyber Pass Hostel for support staff of defense personnel. The cleared portion alone is valued at around Rs 1,000 crore.
Despite an initial delay due to a court order, the eviction process was eventually carried out on Saturday with the support of Delhi Police, Delhi administration, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and Central Public Works Department. Some occupants had challenged the eviction notice in the Delhi High Court, claiming entitlement to resettlement based on historical allocations to their ancestors. However, the court ruled that they had failed to provide evidence of lawful induction and rent payments, concluding that they were unauthorized occupants and trespassers on the land.