Shimla Residents Protest Against Demolition Notices

A Shimla citizens' group has strongly protested against demolition notices for makeshift shelters, meeting with local officials to demand a halt to the evictions. The group warns of wider protests if their demands aren't met, highlighting a tense situation over housing rights in the city.

A delegation from the Shimla Nagrik Sabha confronted the Additional Commissioner of the Shimla Municipal Corporation on Friday, objecting to demolition notices issued for makeshift shelters, according to an official release.

The delegation insisted on an immediate cessation of these actions, with assurances from the Additional Commissioner that social security for the underprivileged would be prioritized.

Nagrik Sabha leaders cautioned that any attempts to demolish shelters for the impoverished would result in public protests against the Shimla Municipal Corporation. Prominent members of the delegation included Vijendra Mehra, Jagat Ram, and others, who highlighted recent examples of targeted demolitions likened to activities of the Forest Department.

Demolition notices have been issued for 42 shelters on April 8, placing 3,300 homes at potential risk, in a development that has intensified opposition. The group demanded the regularization of these shelters, withdrawal of notices, allocation of approximately 2,700 square feet of land to landless residents, and the establishment of a policy to regularize the structures.

(With inputs from agencies.)