Authorities carry out demolition drives in Ashok Vihar, Wazirpur near railway lines

New Delhi: Authorities on Monday launched demolition drives in Ashok Vihar in northwest Delhi and Wazirpur in north Delhi amid heavy police deployment, officials said.

“A demolition drive is ongoing in Ashok Vihar. About 250 police officers are deployed there," DCP (Northwest) Bhisham Singh said.

A Special Task Force (STF) team reached the Jailorwala Bagh area in Ashok Vihar on Monday morning with excavators to carry out the demolition drive.

Over 200 homes encroaching upon government land are to be demolished, the officials said.

A similar drive has been launched near a railway line in Wazirpur to remove illegal encroachments, officials said. “Two companies of paramilitary force, along with Delhi Police personnel, are present on the spot to ensure that law and order is not breached,” a senior police officer said.

This is the second demolition drive carried out in the area this month.

After the last drive on June 2, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said, “If a railway line is encroached and there is an accident, who will be responsible?” In the past few weeks, similar drives were carried out at Bhoomiheen Camp and Madrasi Camp in south-east Delhi.