Ensure no illegal construction in Tughlaqabad Fort area: HC to ASI

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to ensure that there is no unauthorised activity or construction taking place within the Tughlaqabad Fort area.

A Bench of Justices B. D. Ahmed and Ashutosh Kumar also directed that if there is any illegal activity or construction around the fort, the same should be reported to the police or the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Kalkaji.

Survey map

Meanwhile, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) shared a survey map of Delhi, including the Tughlaqabad Fort area, with the court and was then ordered to give the map to the ASI and the Delhi government.

Earlier, the DDA had refused to share the map with the ASI stating that it was a “secret and restricted document”.

The Archaeological Survey of India had contended that since it did not have the survey map, it was unable to do much conservation work as all the inhabitants within the Tughlaqabad Fort area had got a stay on eviction after 1993.

Assess change in area

The map had therefore become important to assess the construction, illegal encroachment and changes in the area after 1993.

After the Delhi Development Authority shared the map, with sensitive areas blacked out, on Wednesday, the High Court directed the SDM of Kalkaji and the surveyor engaged for demarcation of Tughlaqabad Fort area to visit the office of Director (Planning) DDA on Thursday for carrying out initial demarcation.