The central government has started issuing notices to the residents of three slums located on Race Course Road in Delhi to vacate the place as soon as possible. A total of 717 families living in these settlements have been asked to leave their homes by March 6, 2026 and shift to the allotted flats in Savada Ghevra. If this is not done, a warning has been given of legal action.
Three settlements at some distance from the Prime Minister’s residence
According to the Indian Express report, these three settlements are Bhai Ram Camp, Masjid Camp and DID Camp, which are located just a few kilometers away from the Prime Minister’s residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg. Although the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) changed the name of Race Course Road to Lok Kalyan Marg in 2016, they are still registered at the address of Race Course Road in the Land and Development Office (L&DO) records.
L&DO, which comes under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MOHUA) of the Central Government, in a notice issued to a resident on February 19, 2026, clarified that these slum clusters are built on government land. The notice states that under the rehabilitation policy of Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), a joint survey was conducted by L&DO and Delhi Development Authority in January 2024. In this survey, eligible residents were screened and after that the decision was taken to allot flats in DUSIB Colony in Savada Ghevra. Savda Ghevra is about 45 kilometers from Delhi.
The notice was challenged in Delhi High Court
Last year, a notice for rehabilitation was issued to all the residents on October 29, 2025, but in November it was challenged in the Delhi High Court. The court sought a reply from the government on 13 November 2025 and said in the interim order that residents will not be evicted without procedural protection. Then on January 13, the government asked for four weeks more time to reply, after which the court fixed the next hearing of the case on May 13 and directed to keep the interim order in force till then.
Government taking forward the process of rehabilitation
Even before this, residents of these settlements had mentioned the difficulties of leaving their homes in winter. In an old report, residents had said that where is the promise of ‘where there is a slum, there is a house’? But now the government has started taking the rehabilitation process forward. Officials say that this step is necessary for the cleanliness and development of the city, although shifting so far can prove to be a big challenge for the residents.
There is no fresh reaction from the residents on this action of the government, but earlier complaints show that they are worried about their employment, children’s education and distance. Rehabilitation of slums has been an old issue in Delhi, and courts often intervene in such cases.
