National pistol shooting coach Samaresh Jung, who guided Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh to bronze medals at the Paris Olympics, has returned home with the disheartening news that his house and locality are scheduled for demolition in two days. Jung, an Olympic athlete, was warned along with other residents of Khyber Pass, in the Civil Lines area of the national capital. The notice was issued by the Land and Development Directorate (LNDO) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, which claimed that the land where the Khyber Pass colony is located belongs to the Ministry of Defense and is therefore illegal.
Talking to IANS, awardee Arjuna said he doesn’t know why this demolition drive is taking place. “It’s in their plan and I don’t even know about it. They declared the entire colony illegal…”
Jung said it was announced last night that they would have to vacate the area within 2 days. “My family has lived here for 75 years, since the 1950s. We went to court, but our petition was rejected,” he told IANS.
He also said that it is very difficult to pack things in two days and vacate the house. “We just want some time, it’s not possible for you to announce it today and tomorrow we vacate the house and leave,” Jung said.
Previously, Jung, who won five golds, one silver and one bronze at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, took to social media on Thursday night to express his distress and said it was shocking that the Land & Development Office had made a random demolition announcement. with just two days’ notice.
“After the euphoria of Indian shooters winning two Olympic medals, I, the team coach, have just returned home from the Olympics and received the disheartening news that my house and locality will be demolished in 2 days,” Samaresh posted on X in the evening of Thursday.
Jung, a former Asian Games bronze medalist and participant in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, said that as an Olympian, the least he expects is a dignified exit, while also calling for “at least two months to vacate”, along with clarity on the subject.
“There was no proper information or notice. How can families who have lived here for 75 years vacate in 2 days? It’s shocking that @LDO_GoI makes a random announcement of demolition with a 2 day notice without any clarity of the exact area to be demolished,” he added.
“Being an Olympian and Arjuna awardee, I at least hope, together with the community, is a worthy exit. I appeal for clarity on the matter and at least 2 months to vacate properly,” concluded Jung.
He also marked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya at his post, along with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Indian Olympic Association chief PT Usha, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Deputy IOA president and fellow shooter Gagan Narang, who is currently in Paris with the Indian contingent as Chief of Mission.
A large-scale demolition drive at Khyber Pass in Delhi’s Civil Lines area began last month.
According to the Delhi High Court order dated July 9, the land initially belonged to the Ministry of Defense.
A notice was issued on July 1, requiring residents to vacate by July 4. This was contested and the court granted authorization for the demolition to proceed on July 3, in an urgent hearing, as long as appropriate procedures were followed. At the final hearing, held on July 9, the court ruled that the petitioners had not presented any documentation proving ownership of their land.
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