Street art and murals along a Delhi Metro stretch in Central Delhi are not only being frequently “defaced” but the protective railings are also being targeted by the thieves. Authorities have lodged a complaint with Delhi Police that thefts have been taking place quite frequently.
Salwan Education Trust, that beautified the Pusa Road stretch which was a dumping ground, has approached the Delhi Police as well as the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) over the issue.
The trust, which runs a number of schools in Delhi-NCR, has been maintaining the project since 2006 but the vandalism, which it attributed to “miscreants”, has led to escalation of cost.
“A complaint by the Salwan Education Trust was received on March 14. We are looking into it,” the police said.
When contacted, the DMRC said the issue does not come under its jurisdiction, as the entire artwork is outside its station premises, but it would seek the intervention of police to ensure the project’s upkeep.
“This area was specifically taken up with an aim to contribute towards the upliftment of the environment as it was a dumping ground leading to an unhealthy environment. However, the school is facing this perpetual problem where anti-social elements are stealing railings and defacing the infrastructure created, which in turn has led to rise in expenditure,” a functionary of the trust said.
The team, comprising staff and students, has been actively involved in designing the mosaic murals along with plantation along the stretch. “The sincere efforts of the students and authorities in keeping that area clean has been seriously affected due to the miscreants, who are destroying public property,” the official said.