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Only illegal structures removed in Delhi’s Turkman Gate, mosque untouched: MCD
Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) deputy commissioner Vivek Aggarwal said that illegal structures were on the land of Ramlila Maidan
The demolition near a century-old mosque at Delhi’s Turkman Gate on Wednesday was conducted based on a court directive to remove an illegal banquet hall and diagnostic centre on public land, a top municipal official said, emphasising the Masjid Syed Elahi was untouched.
Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) deputy commissioner Vivek Aggarwal said that illegal structures were on the land of Ramlila Maidan, a popular venue for festivals, political rallies, and meetings near New Delhi Railway Station.
“This case has been under the purview of the Delhi high court ...the action has been taken as per the court direction,” he said. He added that around 36,400 square feet had been encroached upon for one-storey structures of a banquet hall and a diagnostic centre. “These were permanent concrete structures...demolition waste needs to be removed from the site, which may take some more time. Once the waste is cleared, it will take five-six hours to clear the remaining structure.”
Aggarwal maintained that only the encroached part of Ramlila Maidan had been cleared, and the mosque was not touched. “The mosque is completely safe. We have not touched any part of it,” he said.
Aggarwal said that the demolition team faced stone throwing, but the police personnel controlled the situation. He added that no one from the MCD team was hurt.
The MCD deployed demolition teams with 32 bulldozers, four heavy Poclain machines, and pneumatic hammers. The drive was conducted from 12 midnight to 7am.
A second MCD official said that the court issued an order on November 12 to clear encroachments near Turkman Gate, including portions of a road, a footpath, a banquet hall, a car park, and a private diagnostics centre. “There is no stay on the order,” the official said.
On Tuesday, the high court issued a notice on a plea that the managing committee of Masjid Syed Elahi filed, challenging the MCD’s decision to remove structures from land adjoining the mosque and a graveyard. The court observed that the matter required consideration and directed the MCD and the Land and Development Office to file their responses. It listed the matter for hearing on April 22.
On December 22, the MCD issued a notice declaring all structures beyond 0.195 acres, housing the mosque, liable to be demolished as part of an anti-encroachment drive. It said no documentary proof was produced to establish ownership of the managing committee or the Delhi Waqf Board of the remaining land.
