NEW DELHI: A demolition drive was carried out jointly by the Public Work Department, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi with the help of Delhi Police on Sunday. The demolition drive has been making news in the national capital as a handful of religious shrines were reportedly constructed on illegal lands. The anti-encroachment drive, which was undertaken in Paharganj and Desh Bandhu Gupta Road, was supervised by the SDM of Karol Bagh. A senior official said that “Removing encroachment is a regular exercise for us (MCD), and this was a routine anti-encroachment action.”
On August 4, the New Delhi Municipal Council told the Delhi High Court that after carrying out a joint inspection it was discovered that the 150-year-old mosque at the Sunehri Bagh Road roundabout needs to be removed and the said land needs to be used for safer and smooth flow of traffic.
The NDMC added that the matter is pending consideration before the religious committee under Delhi government’s Home Secretary. Justice Prateek Jalan had asked the NDMC to disclose its counter affidavit filed in response to a petition filed by the Delhi Waqf Border in regard with the mosque’s demolition.
While hearing the plea which sought restraining the NDMC from carrying out any harm to the mosque, the high court had listed the issue for further hearing on 6th October.
In its response to the city court, the NDMC said that it acted upon the letter of the Delhi Traffic police owing to increased traffic, and that the joint inspection was carried out twice. Moreover, it said that the officials concerned unanimously expressed the removal or relocation of the religious structure, and the land be utilized for redesigning the roundabout and for smooth and safe flow of traffic.
Routine exercise for us: MCD
The anti-encroachment drive, which was undertaken in Paharganj and Desh Bandhu Gupta Road, was supervised by the SDM of Karol Bagh. A senior official said that “Removing encroachment is a regular exercise for us (MCD), and this was a routine anti-encroachment action.”