ITO demolition: MCD says it will build a lane in place of encroachments

On Wednesday, the MCD pressed four bulldozers, five trucks and around 30 labourers into action and removed 50 structures located on the periphery of the Qabristan, the capital’s biggest graveyard for Muslims.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Thursday said that it will restore the lane near the Jadeed Qabristan Ahle Islam at ITO where nearly 50 illegal structures were removed by the civic body on Wednesday. Officials associated with the demolition drive said it will take another week to remove the debris from the site after which they will redevelop the space.

A bulldozer being used to demolish illegal structures during MCD's anti-encroachment drive near ITO, in New Delhi, India. (Hindustan Times)

A senior municipal official from the central zone, overseeing the drive, said that there was at least 100 truckload of debris scattered at the site.

On Wednesday, the MCD pressed four bulldozers, five trucks and around 30 labourers into action and removed 50 structures located on the periphery of the Qabristan, the capital’s biggest graveyard for Muslims. The structures mostly housed shops, offices, godowns and tea stalls.

Another MCD official said that preliminary estimates are being prepared to redevelop the area. “The entire back lane will be re-laid with reinforced concrete cement road and the original road width of 9.2 meters will be restored. A footpath will be made for pedestrian movement and space for parking will also be earmarked. An MCD authorized parking is already operating on Maharao Krishna Marg and the load on the outer service lane will be shared by the back lane,” official said.

The official added that since the area was poorly lit, it has been decided to install 15 streetlights in the lane to improve visibility along the burial ground’s boundary wall.

Corporation officials added that the encroachments also hindered movement of ambulances used to transport bodies to the graveyard.

Haji Qayumuddin, who heads the managing committee of Qabristan Ahle Islam, said that the corporation should ensure that encroachments did not recur. “We do not allow vehicles inside the burial ground during normal circumstances. We have narrow pathways inside the facility which were used by hearse vans during Covid, but it allowed in rare cases. MCD should keep the width of footpath minimal and make the road wider for movement of vehicles,” he added.