Home to over 100 monuments and ruins, and boasting of a thick green cover, the Archaeological Park is struggling against rampant encroachment
While the government agencies sleep over the issue, residents of the beautiful Mehrauli area on the outskirts of the capital city are no strangers to the locality’s natural riches and cultural heritage.
A group of residents has now decided to take the matter to their own hands and save the historical Mehrauli Archaeological Park from rampant encroachment. Local Resident Welfare Association (RWA) group Mehrauli Meri Shaan has collaborated with an organisation dealing with environmental development and architecture to reclaim the lost heritage under a project titled ‘Learning History—Mehrauli Studio’.
“As part of the project, we are holding discussions with the government departments concerned, and encouraging dialogue about preserving the heritage,” said RWA President Sandeep Bali.
The RWA members have also roped in Greha, a not-for-profit society, to save the park. The members have held a series of meetings with representatives of various government and civic bodies, including the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Public Works Department (PWD), South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-Delhi, among others, to discuss the project.
The park houses over 100 monuments and ruins, and a thick green cover. The monuments include iconic structures such as Jamali Kamali Mosque, Quli Khan’s tomb, Balban’s Tomb and Rajon ki Baoli, along with several important ruins.
The lack of a demarcated boundary allows encroachment in the area, which depletes its rich green cover and provides a safe haven to anti-social elements. The park is under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and has a large number of ASI-protected monuments.
Last year, the RWA had filed a plea in the High Court regarding encroachment in some of the centuries-old monuments and entry of vehicles inside the park, facilitated by broken boundary walls.
“Despite the court order to clear the encroachments, the DDA failed to act. We hope to evoke some action on part of the government through this project, as we are tired of filing PILs and writing letters to the authorities,” Bali said.
Meanwhile on Monday, the Delhi High Court directed the DDA and other agencies concerned to complete the demarcation work.
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