Title - North civic body locks horns with DMRC

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation is mulling legal recourse against Delhi Metro for allowing illegal construction at the site where ruins of so-called Akbarabadi Mosque were discovered. The civic body on Monday blamed the DMRC for keeping it in dark about the illegal construction activities while the land was in possession of the Delhi MetroThe north corporation alleged that the Delhi Metro returned the land only after the illegal structure was erected on the site. “There was complete non-cooperation on part of DMRC. It returned the land only after the illegal construction was carried out. Being the land owning agency, the matter should have been brought to our notice. We are going through the DMC Act and exploring legal options against Delhi Metro for allowing illegal construction on the civic body’s land,” said Yogendra Chandolia, Chairman of the Standing Committee in North Delhi Corporation.“The Commissioner of the North Delhi Corporation has been asked to take the entire land in Subhash Park area back from Delhi Metro and no cooperation will be extended to the agency pertaining to such matters,” Chandolia said and alleged that non-cooperation of DMRC was the main cause of the dispute.“Even as Delhi Metro shifted the alignment of the under-construction Metro corridor from the site, it kept the land under its possession. The land where ruins of so-called mosque were discovered was returned on July 18 night when the structure had already been erected. The delay in returning the land is beyond understanding,” alleged Mahender Nagpal, Leader of the House in North Delhi Municipal Corporation.

The Delhi Metro, on the other hand, said it was in holding regular meetings with the Delhi Government and the Union Urban Development Ministry over the issue and every minute development was brought to their notice. However, the land owning agency — the North MCD — was not kept in the loop.

According to officials, the decision to return the land to the civic body was taken only after consultation with the Government and the Delhi Metro had ‘no role’ in delaying the matter during which illegal structure was erected on the site.

“We had a series of meetings with the Delhi Chief Minister’s Office and the Union Urban Development Ministry. They were apprised of every minute development. The land was handed over back to the land owning agency with government’s consent,” a Delhi Metro official said. He further clarified that the decision to change the alignment of the corridor had nothing to do with the discovery of ruins at Subhash Park as the location had been shifted due to objections arising out of construction near Sunehri Masjid.

Uneasy calm prevails in fortified Wall City area

Uneasy calm prevailed in Jama Masjid area of the Walled City on Monday, as Delhi Police has deployed a tight security cordon in and around of the ‘Akbarabadi Mosque’ site. Armed Delhi policemen and officers assisted by the jawans of Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been keeping a close vigil over the developments. Monday remained incident free and those coming to the site were kept at bay.

“We are keeping vigil on the situation. The situation is under control but the force will continue to guard the place. Our priority is to maintain peace and communal harmony,” said Devesh Srivastava, Additional Commissioner of Police (Central). Over 500 personnel of Delhi police, CRPF and Rapid Action Force was deployed around the Subhash Park.

Central district police on Sunday had registered a case of rioting, arson and damaging public property against certain people who were allegedly involved in Saturday night clashes. Police as per High Court order did not allow people to enter premises of Akbarabadi mosque and also removed copies of holy Quran and other religious material from the site.

Two people have been arrested by the police and around 15 others have been detained. Police has been cast its net far and wide to identify the trouble makers and also those who have the capacity to fan sentiments in the walled city area. Delhi Police top brasses are in regular touch with the local heads to maintain law and order situation in the region.