New Delhi : At least 46 Delhi Development Authority (DDA) flats in south Delhi that had been illegally occupied were sealed Tuesday, triggering angry protests by hundreds of people who blocked traffic for several hours.
The DDA carried out the sealing drive in Govindpuri locality as per a direction of the Delhi High Court.
According to Delhi Police at least 350 people, including former state legislator Subhash Chopra, were detained after they blocked traffic.
“They were detained when they raised protests to prevent the DDA officials from sealing their flats in the Govindpuri transit camp,” a police official said.
The locals and owners of the apartments alleged that the drive was illegal as the DDA itself had allotted them the flats in 1984 and the agency has no authority to evict them.
DDA officials clarified that action was only taken against those residents, who were not original allottees.
“The drive was being carried out at the behest of the court order that had directed sealing of flats by other than original allottees,” a DDA official said.