'Houses Built Under PM's Scheme Bulldozed': The Lives Being Uprooted in Nalanda
Bulldozer action in Nalanda, Bihar: 8 Dalit homes demolished, hundreds served notices; 85 were PMAY houses.
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“Our house was demolished for the third time without any notice. We’ve been uprooted again. My daughter’s wedding was just days away — where do we go now?”
Saying this, Jamuni Devi breaks down.
This is the same Dalit settlement in Nalanda, Bihar, where a bulldozer operation took place on 26 November. Most residents here belong to the Paswan and Musahar communities.
The demolition drive in Shivanandan Nagar of Rahui block has created fear across the locality. Acting on a High Court order, the administration razed eight houses along with several huts and tiled-roof dwellings, while issuing eviction notices to 100 families for the next date. Shockingly, nearly 85 of the houses that received notices were originally built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
'A House Built Under PMAY Suddenly ‘Illegal’?'
On 10 October 2025, during the hearing of the Sitaram Prasad vs. The State of Bihar & Others case, the Patna High Court directed the authorities to remove encroachments from public land within eight weeks. The court said that if any state policy provides alternative land to affected people, it may be implemented, but illegal occupation of public spaces like ponds would not be permitted.
The case pertains to removing encroachments and restoring a 20-acre pond (Kalkalya/Barki Pokhar) in Sonsa (Shivanandan Nagar) village. The public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by Sitaram Prasad in 2022.
Photo of the bulldozer demolition
Photo: Accessed by The Quint
Suraj Paswan says that about 30 years ago, he received ₹30,000 under the Indira Awas Yojana (PM Awas Yojana) and added more of his own money to build his house. He claims that nearly 85 houses in the locality were constructed under the same government scheme. Roads in the area were also built under the Chief Minister’s Area Development Scheme. So, is the same land — now labeled as encroachment — actually land on which government projects like road construction were carried out?
Road constructed under the Chief Minister’s Area Development Scheme
Photo: The Quint
Similarly, Sunita Devi received a house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in February 2022. But now, she too has received a notice to vacate her home. Sunita is furious with the administration’s approach and angrily says:
Sunita Devi’s documents for her PM Awas Yojana house and the eviction notice.
Photo: Accessed by The Quint
'Eviction Of the Poor Under the Guise of a Court Order?”
Rajkumar Paswan says, “After a lot of struggle, we settled here. We are extremely poor and have no land of our own; otherwise, why would we have come here?” Rajkumar has also been served a notice to vacate his home.
Vijay Paswan told The Quint that he received a notice two days ago but refused to accept it, believing that after living here for so many years, perhaps the government would find a solution.
Vijay alleges that during the demolition, the police turned the entire neighbourhood into a cordoned-off zone. Residents, rendered helpless, could do nothing but watch as their homes were reduced to rubble.
Families forced to live in tents during winter
So far, around eight houses have been demolished, and about 100 people have been served notices to vacate their homes. Locals claim that the remaining families have been asked to leave by the 5th. Fear hangs over the entire neighbourhood, with everyone worrying that their turn could be next.
Virendra Paswan, who has lived here since 1989, says a notice was pasted on his house wall on the 20th. But out of fear, he vacated the house before any action was taken and is now living in a tent with his children in the winter cold.
“After spending so many years here, where do we go now?” Virendra asks.
Virendra Paswan forced to live in a tent with his family.
Photo: The Quint
Rehabilitation Promised, But No Official Notice Received
The administration claims that 112 encroachers have been allotted 2-decimal plots of land at different locations. But the reality on the ground appears very different. Many residents, including Santu Kumar, say they have not received any official allotment. Their permanent houses were demolished, and they are now living in tents. They question, “If no land was given, then why were our homes demolished?”
Jamuni Devi’s story presents the most poignant picture of the entire demolition drive. She says her house has been demolished for the third time. Jamuni’s daughter, Chhoti Kumari, says their father worked in the police department and built the house using his retirement savings.
Chhoti Kumari
Photo: The Quint
Demand for Permanent Rehabilitation on Raiyati Land
After receiving the notice, most people fear that if they are resettled on government land, the government may again order them to vacate it in the future. Because of this, local families are demanding that the government purchase at least 5 decimals of raiyati land for each family and build permanent houses there, so they do not face further eviction.
Priyanka Devi explains that her younger mother-in-law’s house was also demolished in the bulldozer operation. The entire family is currently taking shelter in a relative’s home. Priyanka says that the land they have lived on for decades is government land — and now, in the name of rehabilitation, the government is issuing deed papers for government land once again.
However, Manoj Kumar Prasad, Zonal Officer of Rahui, told The Quint that there is “confusion” among the people. According to him, non-alienable land is government property, and once the administration issues the allotment papers, the affected people will receive a receipt. The officer added that once they have the receipt, they will not be evicted again.
Caste conflict behind encroachment dispute?
Beyond the administrative and legal aspects, the people of Shivanandan Nagar also see this issue through the lens of caste conflict. They allege that some members of the nearby Kurmi community have long wanted to evict them from the area, which led to the public interest litigation filed by Sitaram Prasad.
Rajkumar Paswan told The Quint that during the 1970s–80s, their ancestors settled here after several fights and disputes because people from another community wanted to take over the land. At that time, the police had set up a camp for security, and it was then that their families were settled here.
Similarly, Virendra Paswan also claims that Sitaram, along with some farmers, took the matter to court to evict Dalits from the encroached land.
Locals say that while there is a judicial order behind the effort to remove encroachments on the pond, land politics and caste tensions are equally at play.
According to Zonal Officer Manoj Kumar Prasad, bulldozers were used on eight houses on the 26th. Many of the residents are not eligible for the rehabilitation scheme, and some are pensioners. The remaining 112 people encroaching on the pond land have already been issued 2-decimal land allotment papers, and around 30 of them have applied for the housing scheme at the BDO office.
The officer added that in 2023, under a court order, 14 houses were also demolished. He said that future actions will continue as per court orders.