CHANDIGARH, April 24:— Backed by a heavy police presence, the Chandigarh administration on Wednesday demolished Sanjay Colony, an illegal slum cluster in Industrial Area Phase 1, reclaiming government land valued at ₹250 crore.
The early morning operation began at 7 a.m., with eight bulldozers deployed by the UT Estate Office to clear out more than 1,500 shanties spread across the encroached land. Officials said the demolition concluded within five hours.
“This land was under illegal occupation for years. Despite several notices, encroachments kept increasing,” Deputy Commissioner Nishant Yadav said.
“We followed due legal process. Residents’ documents were verified, and none qualified for rehabilitation. The land is now being fenced, and debris will be cleared soon.”
According to the administration, approximately 5,000 people had been living in the colony.
Originally surveyed in 2006, only 242 households were found eligible for rehabilitation under the Chandigarh Small Flat Scheme.
Over time, however, hundreds more settled illegally on the site.
The demolition follows the city’s broader “Slum-Free Chandigarh” mission. Officials said the groundwork for this clearance began in mid-2022, but legal intervention delayed the operation.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court had stayed the demolition after appeals by residents of both Sanjay Colony and Janta Colony in Sector 25-D.
In May 2022, a similar drive had removed 2,500 shanties in Colony Number 4, recovering over 65 acres of land worth ₹2,000 crore.
Last week, with the court stay lifted, UT authorities issued a one-week eviction notice. A final documentation camp was held for Sanjay Colony residents, but officials said only 20 individuals submitted records, all of whom were found ineligible under the central government’s Affordable Rental Housing Scheme.
As demolition crews advanced, many residents attempted to salvage belongings—furniture, utensils, personal papers—but were left to sift through debris.
“We have nowhere to go,” said Reena Devi, 36, who moved to Sanjay Colony in 2004 after being displaced from Colony Number 4.
“I came rushing from Lucknow when I heard about the demolition, but everything was already gone. We lost all our valuables. I work as a cook, my husband is a labourer—we can’t afford to rent in Chandigarh.”
Salman, a rickshaw puller who lived in the colony with his wife, children, and mother, echoed similar concerns.
“All documents were in my mother’s name. She died last year. We still showed everything to officials but were told we don’t qualify for any scheme,” he said.
Salman has since rented a room in Hallomajra for ₹3,700 a month but added, “The landlord is already asking us to vacate.”
Another resident, Usha Tewari, who works at a local mall, said she provided identity and biometric documents but was denied relief.
“With a salary of ₹15,000, I can’t pay rent and commute daily. Administration should provide housing to those who have valid papers,” she said.
With Sanjay Colony cleared, officials have now turned their attention to Janta Colony in Sector 25.
Spread over 10 acres and home to an estimated 10,000 people, it stands on government land valued at ₹350 crore.
The site is earmarked for public infrastructure including a dispensary, primary school, community centre and shopping complex.
Officials said a similar clearance drive is expected in the coming weeks.
