The Delhi High Court on Wednesday said the ancient Tughlaqabad Fort, a monument of national importance reflecting historical ethos and heritage, needs to be preserved and freed from all encroachments and illegal constructions. Noting that various encroachments have taken place in the Tughlaqabad Fort area where a large number of families from the lower strata of society have been residing for long, HC said removal of illegal construction would also entail a human problem and authorities like the Centre, Delhi Government, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and municipal bodies need to solve the issue together.
‘We are of the opinion that parties of the Centre, State Government, ASI, DDA (Delhi Development Authority), MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) and other related bodies should conduct a survey of the area and devise a joint policy decision not only for removal of illegal encroachment and construction but also to rehabilitate those who may be required to be uprooted and displaced,’ a bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said, noting that the Tughlaqabad Fort is a protected monument.