A “demolition notice”, whose authenticity is yet to be confirmed by this portal, has triggered a wave of anxiety among some residents of Abul Fazal Enclave. Since the alleged notice surfaced on social media and began circulating a day ago, many residents whose houses are located near the open nallah in Abul Fazal Enclave have been experiencing sleepless nights.

“Demolition notice” and Khasra Number 207

A resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it appears that Khasra Number 207, Okhla Vihar, mentioned in the “demolition notice”, refers to this very area. A resident whose house is in Khasra 207, on the left side of the nahar in Abul Fazal Enclave, said the notice pertains to encroached land on the right side of the nahar, which falls under UP Irrigation land jurisdiction. However, he added that residents became alarmed after the notice appeared in G Block of Abul Fazal Enclave a day earlier — a claim The OT could not independently verify.

As you move on the Hari Kothi Road from left-side of Jamia Nagar Police Station, several houses can be seen very close to the nallah. After the “demolition notice” began circulating, the buzz in the locality is that this patch is likely to be demolished, the resident explained.

Some residents pointed out that people in Abul Fazal Enclave, particularly of this patch, have remained tight-lipped — possibly out of fear — which has only added to the confusion.

When the OT pointed out to panicked residents — some of whom have already started searching for alternative rental accommodations — that Abul Fazal Enclave is not mentioned anywhere in the “demolition notice”, they argued that the entire area is commonly referred to as Okhla Vihar.

“The Metro Station is named after it, and though locals call it Abul Fazal Enclave, the area is officially marked as Okhla Vihar,” one of them said. When the OT spoke with several residents and builders to get to depth of the story, many struggled to identify the exact location mentioned in the document.

“Demolition notice”: Abul Fazal Enclave or Okhla Vihar?

However, one Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA) member, speaking over the phone, clarified that the alleged notice may not pertain to Abul Fazal Enclave, but to an area on the right-hand side of the nahar when entering from Okhla Head — a stretch that most likely falls near Jasola and Okhla Vihar on which elevated Mumbai-Delhi Expressway is being built.

Activist Saud Khan told the OT that Khasra Number 207, Okhla Vihar, is on the right side of the nahar when you come from Okhla Head and it is on this that the expressway is coming up and as you walk further it takes you to Jasola. He said residents of Abul Fazal Enclave should not be worried as they are safe for now.

According to the notice, residents — particularly those living in jhuggis and other houses — have been asked to vacate the area by May 25, failing which they would be held responsible for any untoward incident that may occur during the demolition drive.

The alleged demolition notice also refers to the right side of the nahar (canal), but fear is so widespread that residents are unwilling to engage in discussion.

Their anxiety stems from the fact that anti-encroachment drives have been ongoing across Delhi. Just a few days ago, around 100 structures were demolished amid heavy police deployment in Taimoor Nagar and Khizrabad, localities near Jamia Nagar that fall under the Okhla constituency.

A contingent of at least eight excavator machines razed illegal constructions in Taimoor Nagar, as the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) began a demolition drive to clear unauthorised houses built along a critical drainage line, following orders from the Delhi High Court.

Prem Pal, a 60-year-old resident of Valmiki Jhuggi, told Hindustan Times that many residents had been living there since the 1990s and were assured that only parts of their homes would be demolished.

The severely impaired sewage flow in the drain becomes an annual problem, particularly during the monsoon, when it backflows into residential areas across South and Southeast Delhi, including New Friends Colony, Friends Colony, Maharani Bagh, Kalindi Colony, and Jangpura, among others.

Khasra Number 279 in Okhla Village demolition notice

In a related shock, news broke about the Supreme Court’s directive to the DDA to act on illegal construction spread over Khasra Number 279 in Okhla Village, near Chhota Barat Ghar in Batla House. The case involves over 4 bighas of encroached public land, and like in other neighborhoods, residents are tight-lipped and fearful of media engagement. The exact location remains unclear and many residents of the surrounding areas now worry their homes — purchased with life savings — could face demolition. Former Congress Councillor Shoaib Danish said: “It’s shocking. Many families could end up homeless.”

The situation has also raised larger concerns about how unscrupulous property dealers sold land years ago without disclosing legal issues, leaving homeowners vulnerable. Now, as the demolition deadline nears, many of those dealers are nowhere to be found.

In addition to allegedly selling disputed or unauthorized land to unsuspecting buyers, some builders have also been accused of illegally adding fifth, sixth, and even seventh floors to buildings — violating local construction regulations. These additional floors are then sold at high prices, despite being in breach of the law. A local resident expressed concern that such unauthorised high-rise structures may also face demolition or legal action in the coming years.