Mosque, Temple Demolished As Part Of Anti-Encroachment Drive In Delhi

Delhi: The Public Works Department stated that the demolition drive that took place on Saturday was ordered by the court.

New Delhi: The Delhi government's Public Works Department, on Saturday (February 25), demolished religious structures including a mosque and a temple located on a footpath in central Delhi as part of an anti-encroachment drive. The religious structures were built on the footpath as per reports and a court ordered to have them demolished, an official told PTI. A Public Works department official said, "The drive is being carried out to remove religious structures that have been constructed on the footpath. There are court orders on this."

During the raze drive, security personnel was deployed to maintain law and order.

As part of anti-encroachment drives across the city, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in February had begun a demolition drive to remove encroachment from its land at Ladha Sarai village in Mehrauli Archaeological Park. This led to widespread protests by residents of the area. The DDA said that the park housed about 55 monuments under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the state archeological department of Delhi.

Residents of the area protested against the DDA raze drive and claimed that they had been living there for decades and now were rendered homeless overnight. The drive was halted by Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on February 14. People whose homes were already razed expressed their financial struggle and claimed that rent in surrounding areas had shot up, as per a Moneycontrol report. This, they said, only added to their misery.