'Surprising': Waqf Board On Railway's Encroachment Notice To 2 Delhi Mosques, Claims As Own Properties

A Delhi Waqf Board official claimed that both mosques near Tilak Bridge and Bengali Market, which received Railways notice for removal of encroachments, were its properties.

File Photo of Delhi Waqf Board office building at Daryaganj, New Delhi

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The Railways recently issued notices to a mosque in Delhi's Bengali Market area and another near the Pragati Maidan metro station, directing them to remove encroachments within 15 days. The national transporter said on Saturday that the removal of structures built on encroached railway land is a routine procedure as they pose potential safety hazards. As per news agency PTI, a Northern Railways (NR) spokesperson stated that the structures are on railway land along the main route between New Delhi and Ghaziabad.

On the other hand, a senior Delhi Waqf Board official claimed that both the Taqia Babar Shah mosque near Tilak Bridge and the other near Bengali Market were properties of the board as he termed the notice of demolition "surprising".

"In 1973, the Railways had even requested the Delhi Waqf Board for a piece of land on which Masjid Taqia Babar Shah is located and 94 square yards of land was given to them. The mosque is a Waqf Board property and it was surprising that Railways was serving notice for its demolition," Mehfooz Mohammad said, as quoted by PTI.

According to him, both the mosques were part of properties handed over to the Delhi Waqf Board by the British. These are also included in 123 Waqf Board properties that the Centre has sought to acquire. The Waqf Board has already challenged it in the high court, Mohammad mentioned.

Railway officials said that the process of removal of encroachments from railway land begins with issuing notices to encroachers, giving them a reasonable amount of time, generally 15 days, to remove the encroachments themselves.

"The NR takes the removal of encroachments on railway land very seriously. Encroachments can pose a safety hazard to railway employees and passengers, and they can also damage railway property. NR is committed to ensuring that railway land is used for its intended purpose, and the removal of encroachments is an important part of this commitment," NR spokesperson Deepak Kumar said, as per PTI's report.

According to the report, the notice issued to the mosques reads "Railway property has been illegally invaded upon. You must voluntarily dismantle any unlicensed structures, including temples, mosques or shrines within 15 days of receiving this alert or the railway administration will take legal action."

"Encroachments that are not permitted will be removed in compliance with the Railways Act. Any damage incurred throughout the procedure will be your responsibility. The railway administration won't be held accountable," it added.

If encroachers do not comply with the notice, the NR forms a task force to remove the encroachments, the report mentioned officials as saying. They added that the task force involves Railway Protection Force (RPF) and local police, and will depend on the availability of manpower, machinery, and support from the local police and administration.

According to the officials, it was a general practice in the NR to issue notices to encroachers whenever they come to the attention of the transporter.

This means the process of removing encroachments, in general, is not predetermined, and it can happen at any time. Encroachment on railway land is also removed under predetermined plans when it falls into the alignment of existing or proposed railway lines, the officials added, as reported by PTI.