SDMC rapped by Delhi HC for inaction against encroachment of Red Fort

NEW DELHI: Not happy over encroachment of the 11th century Lal Kot (Red Fort) built by Prithviraj Chauhan, the Delhi High Court has pulled up the municipal corporation of south Delhi for its inaction despite filing of several PILs on the issue.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar asked the corporation why the court should not presume that there was connivance between the civic body's officials and the builder who has encroached into the heritage site at Mehrauli in south Delhi.

"It is a pathetic situation that despite filing of five writ petitions on the encroachment of the public land by a single person there has been no action. It speaks volumes about the conduct of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC)," the court said.

It directed the SDMC Commissioner to place on affidavit when the corporation's officials first noticed the illegal construction and encroachment and what action was taken.

It also sought date wise details of the complaints received by the corporation against the encroachment and when it had got the advance copies of the five PILs against the illegal activity at the protected monument.

The court directed the corporation to file the affidavit, which shall also contain ownership details of the land in question, within two weeks and listed the matter for hearing on March 14.

It said it would send the concerned officials to jail under the Prevention of Corruption Act if it was not satisfied about their conduct.

The court was hearing a PIL by Meena Kumari, who alleged that the historical fort at Mehrauli in south Delhi had been encroached upon by a private person who was carrying out unauthorised construction there.