Central Vista work: Plea in HC by Waqf Board for preservation of its properties

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Tuesday granted time to the Centre to respond to a plea by Delhi Waqf Board seeking the preservation and protection of its heritage properties that are likely to be impacted by the ongoing Central Vista Redevelopment Project.

The Board has sought the preservation and protection of six of its properties in the area within which the redevelopment work was ongoing, namely Masjid Zabta Ganj at Mansingh Road, Jama Masjid at Red Cross Road, Masjid Sunehri Bagh Road Near Udyog Bhawan, Mazar Sunehri Bagh Road behind Moti Lal Nehru Marg, Masjid Krishi Bhawan inside Krishi Bhawan Compound and Masjid Vice President at the official residence of the Vice President of India.

Solicitor Tushar Mehta, representing the Central government, told Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva that he would take instructions on the Board's petition in a week's time.

The court said that it would hear the matter next on September 29. Senior counsel for the Delhi Wakf Board urged that an assurance may be given by the Solicitor General with respect to the protection of the properties till then.

The judge, however, responded that such an assurance would be an indirect stay on the ongoing work.

Why should he give an assurance? This is an indirect stay. The project is continuing in a particular fashion. There is a timeline. They would have taken it (the structures) into account, the court said adding that a stay on the

project has already been refused by the Supreme Court and the high court.

Senior advocate Sanjoy Ghose, representing the board, said that his client, in no manner, intended to impede the ongoing project but merely sought a clarification that the government would honour the integrity of these places of worship.

He said that one of the structures even housed the remains of Dr Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, the fifth President of India and the father of former high court judge Badar Durez Ahmed.