25 Jul. 24: The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) informed the Delhi High Court on Wednesday that it would consider public objections to the proposed removal of the 150-year-old Sunehri Masjid. The announcement follows significant public outcry and objections, including those from the mosque’s imam, Abdul Aziz.
The NDMC had previously suggested removing the mosque, designated as a Grade III heritage structure by the Delhi government in 2009, citing it as an obstacle to the safe and smooth flow of traffic. The imam contended that this claim was made without sufficient research or evidence of traffic congestion caused by the mosque, reports The Hindustan Times.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma, representing NDMC, told Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav’s bench that the authority had received thousands of objections and would consider all of them. The imam’s plea challenged a December 24, 2023, NDMC notice inviting objections, which was issued shortly after the high court dismissed a similar plea from the Delhi Waqf Board (DWB).
The imam argued that the notice was issued with “malafide intentions” and without proper consideration of evidence. Senior advocate Viraj R Datar, representing the imam, offered to withdraw the petition if the court directed NDMC to consider objections in accordance with the law.
ASG Sharma assured the court that all objections would be considered, but raised questions about the maintainability of the imam’s petition, stating that only the DWB was in a position to file such a petition. Following these assurances, the court disposed of the imam’s petition, emphasizing that the NDMC needed to review the public objections before any further action.
In February, the Delhi Traffic Police informed the court that the issue of the mosque’s demolition had been referred to the Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC). Previously, the DWB had moved the high court, fearing the mosque’s demolition, but their plea was dismissed after the NDMC assured that such apprehensions were unfounded.
The Sunehri Masjid, situated near the Udyog Bhawan Metro station at the intersection of Maulana Azad Road, Motilal Nehru Marg, and Kamraj Road, remains a focal point of public and legal scrutiny as the debate over its removal continues.
