SC Directs ASI to Consider Overseeing Preservation of Mehrauli Monuments, Bars Alterations
A bench of Supreme Court Justices B.V. Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan also said that no construction, additions or alterations should be made in the area without the permission from the court, reported Bar and Bench.
The bench gave the directions while hearing pleas challenging Delhi high court order that had refused to direct the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to refrain from demolishing two monuments – the 13th century Ashiq Allah Dargah and Chillagah of Baba Farid in Sanjay Van.
The Ashiq Allah Dargah was constructed by Sultan Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah Khilji in 1317 to honour Sheikh Shahabuddin (who was popularly known as Ashiq Allah.) Baba Farid was a famous Sufi saint and would mediate at the structure at Mehrauli.
Appearing for the appellants, advocate Nizam Pasha submitted that the ASI had already identified the Dargah as dating back to the 12th century and therefore, there was no basis for placing weight on the views of a religious committee.
Advocate Nitin Mishra, who appeared for the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) that the location was part of a designated forest area. Mishra added that the Authority's concern was limited to additional or incidental constructions around the Dargah, said the Bar and Bench report.
Mishra added that the DDA would comply with any directions issued by the ASI, making clear that the Authority would safeguard whatever the ASI requires it to be preserved.
'There shall be no construction, additions, or alterations within the area," Justice BV Nagarathna said after hearing the order.
The Court also directed that the ASI should take under its consideration the supervision of the monuments, particularly in matters of repair and renovation.
"We dispose of these appeals by observing that the ASI should take under its consideration the supervision of monuments in question in the matters of repair and renovation," said the court.
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