The Standing Committee Chairman of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) said on Tuesday that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has written to the corporation, demanding that the corporation demolishes the ‘illegal structure’ that has been erected as part of restoring what is believed by some to be the remains of the old Akbar-era mosque at Subhash Park, before handing over the disputed land to the ASI for excavation and archaeological examination.
Alleging that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the legal owner of the land at the time, is the main culprit for allowing the illegal construction to come up, the Standing Commitee Chairman demanded an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the entire matter to fix the responsibility of the agency at ‘fault’ for allowing the encroachment. The corporation is also mulling to drag Delhi Metro to court over the issue and register a police complaint against it.
‘I have directed the concerned official to submit the letter sent by the ASI in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday along with the corporation’s affidavit. In our affidavit we have appealed to the court to pass an order to demolish the illegal structure erected at Subhash Park,’ Yogender Chandolia, the Chairman of Standing Committee, NDMC said.
‘We are also submitting the first police complaint submitted by the Director (Horticulutre) of NDMC to Jama Masjid Police station on 11 July and reminder on 13 and 19 July. Despite our written complaint and regular follow-ups the police never cooperated with the corporation, till the stay order on the construction was passed by the Delhi High Court,’ Chandolia alleged. The NDMC had transferred the 4300 square meter lad permanently and another 54000 square meter temporarily for the period of four years to the Delhi Metro for its Phase-III project.
Detailing the dispute over the land chronologically, Chandolia informed that the NDMC had handed over this land to the DMRC for its use till April 2016 by an agreement between the DMRC and the NDMC for its Phase-III project.
‘So, it had been the legal responsibility of the DMRC to not allow any person or organisation to construct anything unauthorised structure on the land. The Delhi Metro is responsible for any illegal construction or activity carried out at Subhash Park during the period from 15 July to 18 July and no construction work was carried out after the land was handed back to the NDMC by the Delhi Metro on 19 July,’ Chandolia said.
Chandolia also blamed the Delhi government of indulging in vote bank politics in the case and protecting the main accused MLA Shoaib Iqbal. The MLA had started the re-construction of a mosque at Subhash Park, based on the belief that it was the site of the Mugal-era Akbarabadi mosque.
Alleging that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the legal owner of the land at the time, is the main culprit for allowing the illegal construction to come up, the Standing Commitee Chairman demanded an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the entire matter to fix the responsibility of the agency at ‘fault’ for allowing the encroachment. The corporation is also mulling to drag Delhi Metro to court over the issue and register a police complaint against it.
‘I have directed the concerned official to submit the letter sent by the ASI in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday along with the corporation’s affidavit. In our affidavit we have appealed to the court to pass an order to demolish the illegal structure erected at Subhash Park,’ Yogender Chandolia, the Chairman of Standing Committee, NDMC said.
‘We are also submitting the first police complaint submitted by the Director (Horticulutre) of NDMC to Jama Masjid Police station on 11 July and reminder on 13 and 19 July. Despite our written complaint and regular follow-ups the police never cooperated with the corporation, till the stay order on the construction was passed by the Delhi High Court,’ Chandolia alleged. The NDMC had transferred the 4300 square meter lad permanently and another 54000 square meter temporarily for the period of four years to the Delhi Metro for its Phase-III project.
Detailing the dispute over the land chronologically, Chandolia informed that the NDMC had handed over this land to the DMRC for its use till April 2016 by an agreement between the DMRC and the NDMC for its Phase-III project.
‘So, it had been the legal responsibility of the DMRC to not allow any person or organisation to construct anything unauthorised structure on the land. The Delhi Metro is responsible for any illegal construction or activity carried out at Subhash Park during the period from 15 July to 18 July and no construction work was carried out after the land was handed back to the NDMC by the Delhi Metro on 19 July,’ Chandolia said.
Chandolia also blamed the Delhi government of indulging in vote bank politics in the case and protecting the main accused MLA Shoaib Iqbal. The MLA had started the re-construction of a mosque at Subhash Park, based on the belief that it was the site of the Mugal-era Akbarabadi mosque.