After serving an eviction notice to the more than 100-year-old Race Course Mosque and disconnecting its water and electricity supply, officials on Wednesday said the amenities have been cut in the mosque’s vicinity too, as part of a demolition drive.
The mosque management received an eviction notice around October 19 and was given six days to vacate the premises, according to the officials.
Senior officials of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) said the action extends beyond the mosque located near the Prime Minister’s residence; several families in the surrounding area are also affected.
The notice, which identified the land as belonging to the Land and Development Office (LDO) under the Union government, warned against unauthorised occupation and construction. “There is an ongoing demolition drive going on in the area on the court’s order. The LDO maintains that the structure stands on government land and considers it an encroachment.
The mosque, which predates Independence, is listed on the NDMC’s heritage list in Grade-2 monument.
Many properties, including the mosque, got their water and electricity connections disrupted after the LDO’s order,” a senior NDMC official said on condition of anonymity. Residents in the area have been asked to vacate and were provided alternative accommodation a few kilometres away, according to officials.
