NDMC to Delhi HC: 150-yr-old mosque blocking traffic

The mosque stands near the Udyog Bhawan Metro station, at the roundabout where Maulana Azad Road, Motilal Nehru Marg and Kamraj Road meet.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) told the Delhi high court on Monday that a 150-year-old mosque, situated at the Sunehri Bagh Road roundabout in New Delhi, is required to be removed for safe and smooth flow of traffic.

The high court was hearing a plea by the Delhi Waqf Board filed in July 2023, seeking to restrain NDMC from demolition or razing portions of the 150-year-old monument. (HT Archive)

The court was hearing a plea by the Delhi Waqf Board filed in July 2023, seeking to restrain NDMC from demolition or razing portions of the 150-year-old monument. The court first heard the matter on July 7, and ordered that status quo be maintained.

The mosque stands near the Udyog Bhawan Metro station, at the roundabout where Maulana Azad Road, Motilal Nehru Marg and Kamraj Road meet.

The council said the area falls in the high security zone, is close to central government offices, Parliament, the Central Vista project, and the offices of high-ranking members of the defence forces.

Due to the movement of senior officials, defence forces and foreign dignitaries, the traffic congestion on this roundabout and the adjoining area has become a matter of serious concern, the council said.

It also told the court that the matter is pending for consideration before the religious committee under the chairmanship of Delhi government’s home secretary.

On Monday, justice Prateek Jalan asked NDMC to place on record its counter-affidavit filed in response to the petition by the Delhi Waqf Board against the “anticipated demolition” of the mosque, and posted the matter for hearing on October 6.

It also extended the interim order directing the authorities to maintain status quo, and asked them to place before the court the report of the religious committee, once it is made available.

In its response to the Waqf Board’s petition, NDMC said that it has acted on the letter by the Delhi Traffic Police, and a joint inspection was carried out twice.

It said that after the inspection, the officials unanimously concluded that the religious structure is required to be removed or relocated, adding that the land is required to be utilised for redesigning the roundabout and for safe and smooth flow of traffic.

Advocate Wajeeh Shafiq, representing the Delhi Waqf Board, said that the existence of the mosque was not the cause of traffic in the area and that the board received the intimation of inspection late.

“By the time the said staff reached the spot, the purported joint inspection was over. However, from the imam of the mosque it is learnt that the respondents have inspected the mosque and instead of adopting other measures, the respondents are going to demolish the mosque under reference in the week commencing from July 3, 2023,” the petition said.

NDMC claimed that the June 26 inspection letter was duly served to the petitioner, and it was also delivered at the mosque well within the time.