Shalimar Bagh Demolition: Heavy Police Deployment as Madina Mosque Portion Cleared for Delhi Road Widening
DELHI: A late-night Shalimar Bagh demolition drive was carried out on September 23 on Max Hospital Road, where civic authorities removed part of the Madina Mosque and adjoining structures during an anti-encroachment operation linked to Delhi road widening.
The action was conducted under heavy police and paramilitary deployment as bulldozers and dumpers moved into the area. Officials described the structures being removed as encroachments standing within the stretch required for the Max Hospital road project.
According to India Today, civic agencies said notices had been issued before the demolition. The mosque committee disputed that account, alleging that notices were issued in quick succession without sufficient time to respond. That remains a claim by the committee.
Road Widening Work Behind The Operation
The Shalimar Bagh demolition took place along the road leading to Max Hospital and was presented by authorities as part of the ongoing Delhi road widening exercise.
The operation included the removal of portions of the Madina Mosque as well as nearby residential structures. Security forces were positioned around the site as residents gathered during the overnight action.
The Max Hospital road project has been associated with efforts to clear encroachments from the road corridor. Earlier activity had also taken place along the same stretch, although the exact number of properties removed in the latest operation has not been independently established.
The action comes as authorities face continuing scrutiny over unauthorised structures. A recent Supreme Court scrutiny of illegal construction required authorities to report on enforcement measures concerning unauthorised construction across India.
AIMIM Questions Timing And Procedure
AIMIM Delhi State President Shoaib Jamati reached the location after learning about the operation and questioned the timing and manner of the demolition. He described the overnight action as unconstitutional.
Those remarks are an attributed political response rather than an official finding. Civic authorities have maintained that the structures removed during the Shalimar Bagh demolition were encroachments and that the operation formed part of an approved road-widening exercise.
The mosque committee has also raised objections over the notice process. The competing accounts have not been resolved publicly in the latest reports.
Demolition Operation Later Halted
The Delhi road widening work remains the stated reason for the clearance drive, while the immediate operation was later halted and the bulldozers were removed from the location.
The Max Hospital road project is expected to continue, but the latest reports do not establish a confirmed timetable for additional demolitions on the stretch.
For residents in the area, the next phase will depend on further civic action, the status of affected structures and any legal challenges connected with the demolition.
