Delhi govt’s vigilance dept notice to IAS officer for razing 15th century monument

According to the notice, DJB was in touch with the archaeology department regarding the handover of the monument till January 2021

The Delhi government’s vigilance department on Wednesday issued a show cause notice to 2007 batch IAS officer Udit Prakash Rai for allegedly demolishing a monument dating back to the 15th century for building a new government accommodation in its place to move in as the then CEO of the DJB.

The monument is located in South East Delhi’s Jal Vihar near Lajpat Nagar. (YouTube | Delhi government)

The monument located in South East Delhi’s Jal Vihar near Lajpat Nagar finds a mention in the ASI’s List of Muhammadan and Hindu monuments prepared in the 20th century and is identified as Mahal, built during the Sayyid rule in Delhi.

According to the ASI listing, the structure made of brick masonry and red sandstone consisted of three arched courtyards on the north and south, each flanked by two compartments at either wing.

The vigilance notice says that following a visit in January 2021, the department of archaeology wrote to the DJB, seeking possession of the monument and a gateway for conservation. When the department returned to the site In January this year, it found that the monument had vanished.

According to the notice, DJB was in touch with the archaeology department regarding the handover of the monument till January 2021, but the communication came to a halt after Rai took charge with effect from November 2021.

It says that the communication was stopped, and the construction of the residence was taken up.

The notice states that the then CEO of DJB was responsible for the demolition of part of the entire structure and violating residential accommodation rules.

It adds that while Rai was entitled to a Type V government housing but the built-up area of the new house that had come up in place of the monument is 700 sqm which “exceeds even the prescribed area of 403 sqm of a type VIII quarter by almost 300 sqm”.

“By his commissions and omissions. the officer has actively facilitated the demolition of the ancient monument and prevented the same from getting handed over to the archaeology department for its protection,” the notice read.

The vigilance department has asked Rai to submit a reply within two weeks of the receipt of the notice. Rai did not respond to queries seeking comment.