Tikona Dargah, graves damaged after pipe leak, Delhi HC orders repairs

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Delhi Jal Board to immediately start repair works on the water and sewage pipelines running through a cemetery in Nizamuddin — after it heard that the burial ground had completely been submerged from the burst pipes, which also damaged many graves. The court was told that no attention was given to the situation for two months after the pipes burst.

The court was hearing a plea by Mohd. Shakeel, the Mutawalli/ Sajjadanasheen of the Tikona Dargah, a duly gazetted Waqf property, also housing more than 100 graves. The plea said that two water pipelines running under the cemetery had burst two months ago and that no repair works were being carried out there despite repeated complaints.

Advocate Syed Hasan Isfahani, for the petitioner, submitted that two months of neglect led to an increase in the water level at the burial ground to the extent that the whole cemetery was now underwater. Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, while hearing the matter, said, "Perusal of photographs show immense water logging in that area." The petitioner submitted that the water had now also started entering the Dargah there — which may lead to heavy damages to the Dragah from the ancient period where sufi Saint Hazrat Syed Maqdoom Shah is resting.

Ordering the DJB to immediately start repairs, the High Court said, "Due to carelessness and inaction of the Respondent the situation at the Qabristan has become worst as the water not only entered into the graves but also caused such damage to the graves that they cannot be repairable. The water leaking from the pipelines, now causing life threats to the family of Khadims of Dargah and also to the piligrims."