A drive to clear unauthorized encroachments on Government land, that houses protected ASI monuments among others, has been started by the Delhi Development Authority from February 10 in co-ordination with Delhi Police at Lado Sarai Village falling in Mehrauli Archaeological Park, said a statement on Saturday.

“All stakeholders, including the GNCTD, have been on board in the run-up to this long pending, Court-mandated exercise,” the statement added. The statement further added, “A demarcation exercise, to identify the extent of unauthorized and illegal encroachment or construction, for the purpose of removing them, had been carried out as per the direction of the High Court by the Revenue Department, representatives, in the presence of DDA and Waqf Board representatives in December 2021.”

The statement further read, “This park, adjacent to the iconic Qutub Minar is home to about 55 monuments under the protection of ASI, State Archaeological Department of GNCTD and DDA.

Earlier a demolition order dated December 12, 2022, was pasted on the encroachments existing on the land along with marking with the directions to the encroachers to remove all the unauthorised construction from the land in question within 10 days, the statement stated.

“The land involved in the said demolition order is Government/DDA Land of Ladha Sarai Village and is part of Mehrauli Archaeological Park, the statement further stated.

According to the statement, the High Court of Delhi has, on many occasions, directed the government authorities to secure, protect and preserve the area falling under Mehrauli Archaeological Park by removing illegal encroachment.

“The department is taking the action to remove the unauthorized/illegal encroachment from the government land and also to secure the Mehrauli Archaeological Park from encroachment,” it added.

“During the demolition program on February 10, 2023, approx. 1200 sq. mtr. Government/DDA Land has been reclaimed from the encroachers so far and the exercise is on to reclaim the encroached Government Land for its rightful use by all citizens as a Park” the statement concluded.