The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered a new, independent survey of the area between Press Enclave and the Saket Sports Complex in South Delhi. The court said the previous reports did not clearly state whether the land in question is forested, and gave the authorities four weeks to conduct a fresh inspection and submit a detailed report that lists the exact khasra numbers examined.
The order came from a bench led by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, with Expert Member Dr. A. Senthil Vel. It was prompted by a suo‑moto case filed after a news story revealed that about 500 “jhuggis” had been set up in the Saket forest, allegedly taking up roughly six hectares of land. The tribunal noted that city officials had not been able to prove that the earlier documentation specifically covered that six‑hectare stretch.
Respondents were unable to confirm whether the earlier report identified the land as forest. Accordingly, the NGT directed that the new report include the full details of every khasra inspected.
A follow‑up hearing is scheduled for March 16, 2026. In September, the Tribunal had already taken note of a Delhi Development Authority (DDA) filing that described the land as transferred to the DDA in a “package deal” under a 1979 notification of the Delhi Development Act. The DDA also reported unauthorized structures on the site, including a kabristan, temporary sheds, and occupations by kabariwalas along with “a few jhuggis.”
The DDA further informed the Court of pending litigation concerning the area before the Saket District Court and the Delhi High Court, including a 2015 stay on demolition. Justice Shrivastava’s bench has asked the DDA to update the Court on the current status of those proceedings.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
