Row stalls Jama Masjid Metro work

The Metro’s 9.4-km underground corridor from Central Secretariat to Kashmere Gate is to pass underneath the site,where area residents claim to have found remains of the 17th Century Akbarabadi mosque.

The residents plan to rebuild the mosque and have constructed a structure resembling it. This,according to the High Court,is illegal. The court noted this last month while hearing an ongoing litigation.

A DMRC spokesperson told Newsline,“We cannot resume work till the time the court takes a final decision. Construction of the station building has been suspended for over a month now.”

Authorities haven’t demolished the illegal structure despite court orders,saying they fear a reaction from the residents.

A DMRC official said this might delay the underground link,which will connect to heritage attractions like Red Fort,Jama Masjid Sunehri Masjid,Delhi Gate,Kashmere Gate,Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib,Jantar Mantar and Khooni Darwaaz. The line is expected to be complete by 2016.

“With a new site,the contractor will have to make fresh traffic diversion plans and carry out fresh digging work. Although a buffer period of a month is taken into account,but if the work remains stalled for an additional month,it will have serious repercussion on the corridor’s deadline,” the official said.

The official said a pocket,measuring 492.21 sqm of permanent land and 8,395 sqm of temporary land,which was allotted for the station,has been handed back to the North municipality.

An official of North corporation said the dispute should not affect Metro work. “The station can come up 100 metres ahead of the earlier planned site. Anyway,the controversial site was used by Metro as construction material dumping area and the agency planned to have office there,” the official said.

Another DMRC official said the proposed site of the Jama Masjid station was shifted by 50 metres,following the dispute. But they have not started construction,fearing even this site might be taken up for demolition of the structure.

“The construction of a mosque is an unexpected development,which was unforeseen. We are awaiting the execution of the demolition order. A stop-work order has been issued till the site is cleared,” the official said.

Inputs from Pragya Kaushika