CHENNAI: The Defence Colony Resident Welfare Association (RWA) is raising funds from local households to pay a Rs 40 lakh penalty imposed by the Supreme Court for illegally occupying a Lodhi-era monument, the Gumti of Shaikh Ali, for over six decades. The apex court had directed the RWA to compensate the Delhi government’s archaeology department, which is responsible for restoring the structure.
RWA president Ranjit Singh confirmed the fundraising effort, stating that each household is contributing Rs 1,000 to gather the required amount. Defence Colony has over 800 families and some members have chosen to contribute larger sums. Singh himself has pledged a significant amount toward the penalty.
He also noted that while the association has not yet received a formal notice from the court regarding the payment, they intend to comply as soon as they do. Following the Supreme Court’s directive, the RWA has vacated the historical structure and handed it over to the authorities. The bench, consisting of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, declined to reduce or waive the fine and scheduled the next hearing for April 8.
The court had previously asked the RWA to justify the penalty amount and instructed Delhi’s archaeology department to form a committee to oversee the monument’s restoration. Earlier, the Supreme Court had also reviewed a report by historian Swapna Liddle, former convener of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Delhi chapter. The court subsequently ordered the “peaceful” transfer of the site to the Land and Development Office.
The case has also raised concerns about the role of authorities in heritage conservation. In November 2024, the Supreme Court criticised the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) after a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) report highlighted its failure to protect the 15th-century monument.
The report revealed that the RWA had used the structure as its office for decades without any intervention.