The Hindu : New Delhi News : `Bring back the pristine glory of Jama Masjid'

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Thursday, Sep 22, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

`Bring back the pristine glory of Jama Masjid'

Staff Reporter

Court seeks blueprint for development

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Delhi Government, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Delhi Waqf Board and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to prepare a blueprint for re-development of the historic Jama Masjid in the Walled City here.

The Direction came from a Division Bench comprising Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Rekha Sharma after perusing a joint compliance report filed jointly by DDA, MCD, the Delhi police and the Delhi Government on removal of encroachments in and around the historic mosque following an order by the Court on August 3 this year.

The Bench directed the above-mentioned bodies to involve people, leaders of the Muslim community as well as the Imam of the mosque to "bring back the pristine glory'' of the Mughal monument.

The Bench directed the respondents to prepare the blueprint with two months and file a copy of it to the Court. The Court posted the matter on November 15 for further hearing.

Counsel for the local body submitted that the Corporation had removed 661 squatters having shops around the mosque. However, some constructions touching the walls of the mosque and in its precincts had not been demolished.

The Bench directed DDA, MCD, the Board and the Delhi Government to find out the status of the land and file an affidavit by the next date.

The Bench directed the Imam to file an affidavit saying what had transpired between him and the Board's Chairman about submission of the accounts of the past 30 years of the offerings in the mosque and the expenses incurred on its maintenance.

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