On June 11, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) carried out a demolition drive at Bhoomihin Camp in the Kalkaji area of Delhi, acting on directions from the Delhi High Court. A similar drive is reportedly expected in the Batla House locality, as the High Court has refused to stay the demolition order in that case. Predictably, the news of bulldozers arriving at residential colonies has evoked a strong emotional response from various quarters. After all, watching people lose their homes—no matter how modest—can be deeply distressing. But the move is a sine qua non for urban revival.

On the face of it, such demolition drives may appear to be heartless acts of administrative aggression. They disrupt lives, displace families, and create temporary chaos. However, while the emotional toll is undeniable, it is also crucial to adopt a rational and systematic perspective on the matter. A deeper examination reveals that removing illegal encroachments, though painful, is often necessary—and long overdue.

Shantytowns, slums, and other unauthorised colonies are not merely the result of poverty or population growth. They are the visible outcomes of a more serious, deeply entrenched, indeed systemic malaise: the failure of governance. These informal settlements arise and grow in the cracks of our administrative and legal frameworks. They thrive where there is institutional apathy, corruption, and a lack of political will to enforce urban planning norms. Over time, they become normalized despite........

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