ASI to conduct a survey of the Tughlaqabad area: SC

Tughlaqabad villagers, who are spending sleepless nights ahead of the eviction and demolition threat, have finally got some respite till the end of the next month following the Supreme Court order to maintain status quo in the matter.

Tughlaqabad villagers, who are spending sleepless nights ahead of the eviction and demolition threat, have finally got some respite till the end of the next month following the Supreme Court order to maintain status quo in the matter.

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Directing a status quo with respect to eviction and demolition as per its recent order lifting the 2001 stay by Delhi high court, the Supreme Court on Friday also asked the ASI to carry out a survey of the encroachment of the area and asked it to submit a report within three weeks.

Ahead of Diwali, the threat of eviction and demolition loomed large over 70,000 residents of Tughlaqabad village after ASI issued a one-week notice for encroaching in the vicinity of its Tughlaqabad fort.

The government had carried out an aerial survey of the area in 1993 to determine the status of encroachment. In 1995, the Delhi government transferred approximately 2,800 bighas of village land to the ASI.

In 2001, when the ASI attempted to evict villagers, they approached the Delhi High Court, which gave a stay. The court had, however, exempted lal dora land, just about 100-odd bighas.