NEW DELHI: Delhi Development Authority (DDA) told the high court on Friday that it has no plan to demolish any mosque or graveyard in and around Mehrauli Archaeological Park where it is carrying out a drive to remove encroachments.The DDA’s counsel said that the authority only wants the encroachers removed from residential and commercial land.Noting the submissions of the counsel, a bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad said no further orders are required to be passed on the point of interim relief sought by the petitioner. “You can go ahead then,” the bench told DDA.It was hearing a petition by Delhi Waqf Board seeking an interim relief of such demolition. Senior advocate Sanjoy Ghose, representing the waqf board, urged the court to stay the demolition as there was a dispute as to the properties of the board in the area where the process of demarcating them was not yet complete. He submitted that there is a real apprehension that the mosque belonging to the waqf board may be damaged or removed on the alleged ground that it falls on the right of way.However, advocate Shobna Takiar, appearing for DDA, submitted the demarcation has been done and that the authority wanted some unauthorised constructions to be removed. No religious structure in the park was “touched”, she said, adding only residential and commercial encroachments were being removed.The waqf board urged the court to direct that one of its representatives be a part of the team to oversee that the mosque is not harmed during the anti-encroachment drive. However, the bench noted that DDA has already given an assurance and listed the matter for further hearing on April 21, 2023.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/delhi-development-authority-no-plan-to-raze-mosque-near-mehrauli-park/articleshow/96471523.cms
