After four days of heavy restrictions and barricading around Turkman Gate due to a High Court authorised demolition drive by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), all roads in the area including, Asaf Ali Road, were reopened to traffic on Saturday.
The lifting of restrictions brought back a sense of normalcy with locals reopening their shops and returning to their usual routine. However, a strong police presence remained in the lanes near the Faiz-e-Ilahi mosque, where the MCD has razed down a community hall, guest rooms and a dispensary – all allegedly built illegally.
Two more arrested
The drive triggered a clash between the police and the locals, who have been accused of allegedly pelting stones. Two more persons were arrested in the case on Saturday, bringing the total number of arrested people to 16.
Local vendor Mohammed Alam said the closure of roads and markets had made things difficult. “I suffered losses, but at least things are slowly returning to normal,” he said.
Residents also expressed concern over the demolition of the nearby dispensary, which many depended on for affordable healthcare. Fareek Syed, 28, who recently became a father, said he had to take leave from work to take his wife Sana, 24, to a clinic in south Delhi on Friday. “The dispensary that was demolished was close by and very helpful for regular check-ups,” Sana said.
A senior MCD official said a small portion of the demolished dispensary, adjoining the wall of the mosque, was left untouched to avoid damage to the religious site. “We will issue a notice to the mosque committee to remove the remaining part on their own,” he said.
‘Land to be beautified’
The drive has freed nearly 36,428 sq. feet of land, which will be handed over to the Horticulture Department for beautification and future development.
The MCD official said around 500 truckloads of debris have been cleared from the site since Wednesday, with nearly 70 heavy-duty vehicles deployed for the operation. “The debris was transported to waste processing facilities in Burari, Ranikhera, Shastri Park and Bakkarwala,” he said, adding that the land would likely be redeveloped into a park as part of the Ramlila Ground.
(With inputs from Alisha Dutta)
