The Hindu : New Delhi News : Heritage building `lost' to illegal construction

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Heritage building `lost' to illegal construction

By Mandira Nayar

NEW DELHI, APRIL 13. The familiar white domes of the mosque and tomb of Haji Langa will now no longer serve as a picturesque landmark for passers-by on Outer Ring Road here. Hidden behind an illegal construction -- despite it being `protected' by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi -- this Tughlaqian contribution to the city's skyline which served for long as a madrasa has sadly been obliterated from the horizon forever.

A blatant violation of a notification by the MCD that prohibits any modification to any listed structure without permission of its heritage cell, the Imam of the madrasa, Taleemul Quran, claimed to be clueless about the need to have any sort of plans cleared by the MCD. "This is not part of the Archaeological Survey of India. We needed extra rooms for the orphans in the madrasa, so we went ahead with the construction. We did not seek permission of the MCD. There are lots of illegal things going on in the world. I don't see any point in raising these questions,'' he asserted.

Interestingly, while he never sought any permission from the MCD, a proposal for new construction was sent to the Wakf Board about six months ago. However, only permission for a ground floor was granted. "There was permission for the ground floor only. If they have constructed anything more, it will be stopped. We take serious objection to any building that blocks the view from the road,'' an official stated.

Listed by INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) in "Delhi: The Built Heritage" as Archaeological Value B, this madrasa is unfortunately not the only bit of history fighting a losing battle against the `pressures' of civilisation.

And while these buildings have been listed by local authorities concerned and enjoy legal protection, these seem to be only on paper.

With a lack of stringent building by-laws, absence of penalties and greedy land sharks out to commodify heritage, more than 10 historic buildings have been erased from Delhi's list of 1,208 listed building over the past few years. And worried by this trend, conservationists feel that it might just be the beginning.

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