The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has instructed authorities to conduct a new inspection and submit a detailed report on the purported encroachment of approximately six hectares of forest land between Press Enclave and Saket Sports Complex in south Delhi. The NGT Bench, led by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, noted that existing reports did not clarify the status of the alleged forest land. Consequently, the tribunal granted a four-week extension for a fresh inspection to be carried out.
The NGT Bench, which also included Expert Member Dr. A. Senthil Vel, was addressing a suo motu case initiated based on a news report that highlighted the emergence of around 500 ‘jhuggis’ in the Saket forest area, leading to the encroachment of nearly six hectares of land. In its recent directive, the Green Tribunal pointed out that the civic authorities had failed to establish whether the previously submitted report pertained to the specific six-hectare area under scrutiny.
The respondents were unable to confirm if the filed report was related to the six-hectare area between Press Enclave and Saket Sports Complex designated as forest land. The NGT emphasized that the fresh report must include comprehensive details of the khasra numbers inspected. The case is scheduled for further hearing on March 16, 2026.
Earlier, the Green Tribunal had acknowledged a report from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), indicating that the concerned land had been transferred to the DDA as part of a “package deal” under a 1979 notification issued pursuant to the Delhi Development Act. The DDA also revealed the presence of unauthorized constructions on the site, such as a kabristan, temporary sheds, occupation by kabariwalas, and a few ‘jhuggis’. The DDA informed the NGT about ongoing legal disputes concerning the area in the Saket District Court and the Delhi High Court, including a case where a stay on demolition had been granted in 2015. The Justice Shrivastava-led Bench had instructed the DDA to provide an update on the current status of those proceedings.
