Delhi PWD Demolishes Temple, Part Of Mazar In Jhandewalan Amid Heavy Security Deployment

According to the police, the whole process was carried out smoothly and there were no reports of any untoward incidents.

The action was taken to clear the area for a proposed road widening project. 

Source : Representational Image/Getty

New Delhi: A temple and the front wall of a Mazar (known as Mamu-Bhanje mazar) were demolished on Sunday morning by the Public Works Department (PWD) as part of an anti-encroachment drive on the Rani Jhansi Road in the Jhandewalan area, reported news agency IANS.

As per the agency, the demolition was carried out in the presence of a large number of police and paramilitary personnel to maintain the law and order situation in the area. The action was taken to clear the area for a proposed road widening project.

According to the police, the whole process was carried out smoothly and there were no reports of any untoward incidents. As per IANS, the temple will be shifted to a nearby area.

Last month, PWD demolished a Hanuman Temple and Mazar which were built illegally in Delhi’s Bhajanpura area. According to the order of the PWD department, those religious places in Delhi which have been built illegally or those which have been encroached on by religious organisations are being removed.

The decision to demolish both structures was taken during a meeting of the Delhi Religious Committee because the road has to be widened as construction of the Saharanpur Highway is underway. The removal of the Mazar and temple was approved by the Religious Committee. 

In February this year, Lt Governor VK Saxena passed a proposal to remove nine “unauthorised” religious structure along the Delhi-Saharanpur Expressway after the file approving their demolition was sent to him by the Delhi government.

However, the Aam Aadmi Party had appealed to Saxena to prevent the demolition of religious structures for different infrastructure projects, saying these buildings were 40-90 years old and there were police reports that such an action could trigger a law-and-order situation.

In an order dated September 29, 2009, the Supreme Court directed that each unauthorised religious structure on public places such as roads and parks would be reviewed on a case-by-case by state and Union Territory governments concerned and appropriate steps taken expeditiously, the Lt Governor noted.