No end in sight for impasse between Kathputli Colony residents and DDA

Jayashree, a lawyer and an activist working for the residents of Kathputli colony, said the entire project is “non-transparent” and “non-accountable”. She added that of 3,000 families, the DDA has shifted only 500 to a transit camp. This colony is a 40-year-old slum that houses families of puppeteers, magicians, folk singers, painters, dancers, acrobats, jugglers and storytellers.

However, life is not easy even for those 500 families who have been shifted to the transit camp near Anand Parbat. Many living in the camp, built by a private developer, complained of lack of basic amenities and space to practice their art. 

“The houses here are too small to accommodate a family of six. We do not even have enough space to practice our art. We came here on the assurance of the DDA that we would be given houses within two years. We have been living her for over two years and still work has not started on ground. We cannot even go back to the colony as people there are angry with us because we shifted out,” said Dilip, a resident.

Jayashree blames the DDA for the delay in the project.

“The DDA and the government had taken an arbitrary decision by not consulting the residents of Kathputli colony for development of their land. The survey that they had conducted was incorrect. Besides, there are issues with the transit camp. The plan is faulty and the process of allotment of flats has not been made clear for over two years,” she said.

Pooran Bhaat, pradhan of Kathputli colony and a puppeteer, said, “We want to live in better conditions, but neither the DDA nor the government is paying heed to our demands. We want that we should be given a written assurance by the DDA that it will allot flats to us on this land within a specific time-frame. But they won’t give a written assurance. So why should we leave our homes?” 

He added, “We are artistes (some folk and some traditional, while some are magicians and jugglers). We want the government to look into how we can hone our skills so that we are able to perform better. We have even travelled to several countries to give performances. Rather than giving us flats, the government should provide us with a platform where we can nurture our talent. We have enough money to build flats.”

The DDA had signed an agreement with the developer in 2009 for the “in situ slum development” of Kathputli colony spread over 5.2 hectares and valued at over Rs 1,040 crore (2009 estimate). But residents said the DDA sold the land to the developer at a mere Rs 6.11 crore. 

The project proposes to resettle the resident families in 2,800 multi-storey flats and the remaining land would be given for commercial purposes.