Delhi High Court stays removal of Hanuman temple in north-east Delhi

The Delhi High Court on Friday stayed the removal of a half-a-century-old temple in North East Delhi after its caretakers received a notice from the Public Works Department (PWD) claiming that it was built on government land. .Justice Tushar Rao Gedela also called for a status report from the local police station on the matter that would include any disruptions to traffic movement caused by the structure. “In the meanwhile, no cocrcive action will be taken by any of the respondents (Government Authority) to remove the Hanuman Temple under the letter dated 03.05.2023 issued by PWD till the next date of hearing,” the order stated..The petitioner alleged that on May 3, he received a notice from the PWD stating that the the religious structure was built on government land and was, therefore, unauthorised. The caretakers of the temple were advised to vacate the premises by May 15, failing which the Delhi government and PWD warned them of "severe consequences".The notice dated May 3 said that the “unauthorised religious structure” had been built by an encroachment on Wazirabad Road government land under the jurisdiction of the PWS. .According to the petitioner, whose grandfather was stated to have built the Hanuman temple in the 1940s, the area surrounding the structure was not urbanised. It is argued that the temple has continued to be under the care and maintenance of the petitioner's family for over 60 years and was passed down through generations since the 1960s, when his grandfather moved to Delhi from Gwalior. “Therefore, much of their identity, faith, history and sentiments are intertwined with this religious structure,” it added.According to the plea, the authorities held a meeting mulling over the relocation of the temple on the grounds that it was obstructing smooth traffic movement in the area.The Court in its order observed that it appeared that “talks for an alternative plot seems to have met a road block”..Advocates Rizwan, Azadar Husain, Nistha Sinhaand Sachi Chopra for the petitioner.The respondents were represented by advocates Abhinav Singh, Shubham Goswami, Ashim Vacchar and Kunal Lakra..[Read Order]