Delhi govt-L-G have another flashpoint: Removal of ‘unauthorised religious structures’

L-G House officials said Saxena recalled several related to clearance for projects, including decongestion of critical traffic corridors such as Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road, Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, Dhaula Kuan-RTR Marg, and Ring Road at various sites. The recalled files, they said, were also related to completion of work on the Delhi stretch of the Delhi-Saharanpur and Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, in addition to beginning construction of housing projects for government employees among others pending since 2017.

“These may finally see the light of the day now with the L-G recalling all related files using his Constitutional powers. These files have been inexplicably pending since years together due to inaction on part of the AAP Government,” an official alleged.

The official said these were pending despite all statutory requisite formalities and permissions in place with regard to removal of unauthorised religious structures erected by “land grabbers” after 2009, when the Supreme Court barred any further occupation by such structures and ordered their removal.

As per the official, this was supposed to be achieved through the “religious committee” formed in 2014, as per a SC judgment, to consider and recommend removal of such structures on receipt of a request by the land-owning agency concerned. “Despite recommendations of the committee to remove ‘unauthorised religious structures’ that have held up key infrastructure projects, the Home Department headed by Sisodia has kept 78 such proposals pending since May 2022,” the official alleged.

“This has prompted the L-G to recall these files. Invoking his powers to recall files under Rule 19(5) of the Transaction of Business of the GNCTD Rules (ToBR), 1993, the L-G has ordered to recall from the Home Department all such files that are pending for more than a month at the level of the Minister (Home), that is Manish Sisodia,” the official added.

Sisodia termed the allegations “completely baseless and cheap politics”. “The L-G claimed the said files have been held up by my department. It is unfortunate the L-G is choosing to play politics on such a sensitive matter. The matter concerns giving clearance for demolition of several religious structures including many big temples that have existed for decades,” Sisodia said, adding, “Any decision over making amends to religious structures can’t be taken in haste, let alone allowing them to be demolished… The L-G calls himself the ‘local guardian’ of Delhi, why doesn’t he clear projects of public interest?”

The AAP government, he also said, had been “assessing all the factors concerning this matter” and did not want to hurt citizen’s religious sentiments. The government was “studying the impact of such punitive action” since any decision taken “without proper assessment” may lead to an adverse situation in society, he said.