Olympic coach Samaresh Jung faces home demolition amid Paris Games triumph
New Delhi: National pistol shooting coach Samaresh Jung, who recently guided Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh to bronze medals at the Paris Olympics, returned home to a distressing reality. He found that his house and locality are scheduled for demolition in just two days. Jung, an accomplished Olympian and Arjuna Awardee, received the demolition notice along with other residents of the Khyber Pass locality in the Civil Lines area of Delhi. The notice, issued by the Land and Development Office (LNDO) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, claimed that the land occupied by the Khyber Pass colony belongs to the Ministry of Defence, thus deeming it illegal.
Speaking with IANS, Jung expressed his bewilderment and frustration. "I don't know why this demolition drive is taking place. It was announced without any prior notice. They have declared the entire colony illegal," Jung said. He described the situation as particularly distressing since he and his family have lived in the area for 75 years, dating back to the 1950s. Despite their attempts to contest the decision in court, their petition was rejected, leaving them with little recourse.
Jung conveyed the challenges of packing up and vacating their home on such short notice. "It is really difficult to pack everything up in just two days and leave. We just want a bit more time. It is unreasonable to expect us to vacate the premises within 48 hours of the announcement," he added.
The demolition notice came as a jarring counterpoint to the celebratory mood following the achievements of Indian shooters at the Olympics. Jung took to social media on Thursday evening to voice his distress. "After the euphoria of Indian shooters winning two Olympic medals, I, the team coach, just returned home from the Olympics to the disheartening news that my house and locality are set to be demolished in two days," he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Jung, who has a distinguished sporting career that includes five gold medals, one silver, and one bronze from the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, highlighted his discontent with the abruptness of the demolition notice. "It is shocking that the Land & Development Office issued such a haphazard announcement with only two days' notice, without clarity on the exact areas to be demolished," he wrote. He emphasised the need for a dignified exit and requested at least two months to vacate properly.
The Khyber Pass locality has been under scrutiny as part of a large-scale demolition drive in Delhi’s Civil Lines area, which began last month. According to a ruling by the Delhi High Court dated July 9, the land initially belonged to the Ministry of Defence. The court's decision followed an urgent hearing held on July 3, which permitted the demolition to proceed provided that proper procedures were followed. The ruling on July 9 confirmed that the petitioners had failed to produce sufficient documentation to prove their ownership of the land.
Jung's appeal for a more reasonable timeline for vacating has garnered attention from several prominent figures. In his social media post, he tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief PT Usha, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar, and IOA vice president Gagan Narang, who is currently in Paris with the Indian contingent as the Chef de Mission. Jung's appeal underscores the urgent need for clarity and compassion in the face of the impending demolition.
The situation highlights the broader challenges faced by long-time residents who find themselves caught in legal and bureaucratic disputes over land ownership and development. For Jung, the immediate concern is balancing his professional achievements with the personal upheaval of losing his family home. (With inputs from Agencies)