Restoration of Gumti in Defence Colony to be completed by year-end, Delhi govt tells SC

The affidavit follows the top court’s clearance of the structure from illegal occupation by the Defence Colony Residents Welfare Association

The restoration of the 700-year-old Gumti of Shaikh Ali in Defence Colony is expected to be completed by the end of the year, the Delhi government informed the Supreme Court on Thursday. The statement came in an affidavit submitted by the Department of Archaeology, which provided phase-wise timelines for reviving the Lodi-era monument to its former glory.

The archaeology department, in its latest report, said that all efforts had been made in coordination with the MCD to clear waste and construction debris, and that the four surrounding parks had been levelled for development. (HT Archive)

The affidavit follows the top court’s clearance of the structure from illegal occupation by the Defence Colony Residents Welfare Association, which had been using the monument as its office. The archaeology department declared the Gumti a protected monument on August 12 under the Delhi Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 2004.

According to the department, most major conservation and restoration work is nearing completion, with flooring and plinth protection scheduled to be finished by the end of this month. Repairs to the boundary walls and grills surrounding the four quadrants of greenery are expected to be completed by November 15. Following that, landscaping, electrical works, illumination, footpaths, walkways, and additional facilities will be completed by December 31.

A bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and SVN Bhatti expressed satisfaction with the proposed timeline, noting that all agencies—the archaeology department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the Public Works Department (PWD)—appear aligned. On September 4, the court had summoned the MCD commissioner for allegedly disregarding earlier orders. The matter will next be heard on December 2.

Court commissioner and senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan emphasized that progress should be regularly reported, citing earlier submissions that revealed a communication gap between the MCD and the Delhi government. “I witnessed construction debris left uncollected, waste littered in multiple areas, choked drains, and waterlogging around the Gumti,” he told the court.

The archaeology department, in its latest report, said that all efforts had been made in coordination with the MCD to clear waste and construction debris, and that the four surrounding parks had been levelled for development. The court directed the department to continue taking necessary action according to the approved timeline.

Following the court’s intervention, the 700-year-old structure was cleared of illegal occupation, and the Defence Colony RWA was ordered to deposit ₹40 lakh for its restoration.

The Supreme Court’s order came on a petition filed by Rajeev Suri, a Defence Colony resident, who had approached the Delhi High Court in 2018 seeking to declare the Gumti a protected monument. Suri provided evidence of its historical significance, citing its mention in the 1920s survey of Delhi monuments by Maulvi Zafar Hasan, then deputy superintending archaeologist, published in 1926 by the ASI as the “Last of Muhammadan and Hindu Monuments.”

Suri’s petition was dismissed by the High Court on February 20, 2019, prompting him to approach the Supreme Court.