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Take action against ‘encroachment’ around Jama Masjid: Delhi HC to MCD

While referring to photos put forth in petition claiming the same to be encroachments and illegal constructions, the court recorded, “However no definite opinion can be formed on the basis of the said photographs.”

encroachment around Jama Masjid, Jama Masjid encroachment, Jama Masjid, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), delhi news, India news, Indian express, current affairsAdditionally, the petitioners have claimed that an e-rickshaw charging station running at gate 4 of the mosque, a chemist shop and hospital being run in the area surrounding the masjid are all illegal.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to conduct a survey and verify allegations of unauthorised construction and encroachment in and around Jama Masjid, including on the civic body’s parks surrounding it.

During the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) hearing on Wednesday, taken up before a division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, MCD submitted that it is undertaking regular anti-encroachment drives in the area, while maintaining, “There are no encroachment on the (MCD) parks, there are only some pigeons.”

Disposing of a PIL filed by four local residents of Jama Masjid area, represented by advocate Hemant Choudhary, the court noted that the petition alleges encroachment on public parks, which according to the petitioners, belongs to MCD, and also around Shahi Jama Masjid.

While referring to photos put forth in petition claiming the same to be encroachments and illegal constructions, the court recorded, “However no definite opinion can be formed on the basis of the said photographs.”

The court went on to direct MCD to take into consideration and verify the allegations raised by the petitioners in their representations earlier made to the MCD. Additionally, the court directed the civic body to conduct a survey within a period of 2 months.

“We further direct that in case in the survey conducted pursuant to this order, if any illegal construction or encroachment or illegal use is found, appropriate action which may be warranted under law shall also be taken with expedition,” the court directed.

The petitioners have alleged encroachment, illegal parking, running of unlicensed Medicare Hospital and illegal commercial activities ongoing in and around the Shahi Jama Masjid area.

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According to the petitioners, an eatery named Gumbad Cafe located right opposite the gumbad (dome) of the Jama Masjid, run by one Syed Bukhari — the shahi imam of the mosque and president of the managing committee of the masjid — is illegal and running without authority.

Additionally, the petitioners have claimed that an e-rickshaw charging station running at gate 4 of the mosque, a chemist shop and hospital being run in the area surrounding the masjid are all illegal.

 

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. X (Twitter): @thanda_ghosh ... Read More

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