‘Half the DU students are there’: Delhi HC orders action against illegal Majnu Ka Tila cafes
While orally remarking that "half the DU students are there", Justice Gedela urged the authorities to take quick action. Meanwhile, CJ Upadhyaya quipped on a lighter vein, "except the momos cart, everything shall be removed."
A list of such establishments, as stated in the PIL, includes the legacy Tibetan restaurant Dolma's rooftop and restaurant cafe, running since 1984, as well as the famous AMA Cafe.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed civic authorities in the Capital to take requisite action against food establishments in North Delhi’s Majnu ka Tila which are running without required structural approvals and permissions, in violation of safety protocols.
This was in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by practising advocates Arnav Singh and Aditya Chauhan—appearing as party-in-person—in which it was flagged that multiple cafes, bars, nightclubs, restaurants and hotels are operating out of unauthorised multi-storeyed buildings along the banks of the Yamuna. These buildings, also comprising illegal basements, rooftops and recreational facilities, are purportedly constructed without sanctioned plans, the PIL claimed.
After the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) informed a division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela that a suo motu complaint has been registered in this regard and subsequent action will be taken, the bench, recording the same and with a direction to take appropriate action, disposed of the plea.
While orally remarking that “half the DU students are there”, Justice Gedela urged the authorities to take quick action. Meanwhile, CJ Upadhyaya quipped on a lighter vein, “except the momos cart, everything shall be removed.”
A list of such establishments, as stated in the PIL, includes the legacy Tibetan restaurant Dolma’s rooftop and restaurant cafe, running since 1984, as well as the famous AMA Cafe.
Relying on Right To Information (RTI) responses the two petitioners had received from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on the buildings being unauthorised constructions with no sanction given to the building plan, the PIL also highlighted that they pose a “life-threatening hazard”, underlining that the same was amplified during recent floods “when streets were completely submerged and basements of these buildings filled with water, exposing structural vulnerabilities”. MCD was represented by advocates Siddhant Nath and Amaan Khan.
Submitting that the petition is being filed for a large class of visitors which includes students, tourists and workers who frequent the establishments in the area, the petitioners have pointed out that while a detailed representation was submitted to the authorities highlighting issues like illegal and unauthorised constructions, absence of fire safety measures and violation of building norms, they have received no response till date.
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The PIL highlights that some of the multi-storeyed buildings do not even have staircase access beyond the third or fourth floor, and the only way to access higher floors is through elevators. Additionally, it has highlighted “regulatory failures, if not deliberate negligence”, where a lift installation licence has been granted for a building which does not have any sanctioned building plan.
Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court
Professional Profile
Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express.
Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare).
Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others.
She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020.
With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles:
High-Profile Case Coverage
She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy.
Signature Style
Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system.
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