Ensure no construction takes place in Sanjay Van without DDA, police permission: HC

The Delhi High Court Wednesday directed the police and the DDA to ensure no construction is carried out in the Sanjay Van area of the national capital without their permission. A similar stand was taken by DDA too. The court, thereafter, directed both authorities to "take steps to ensure there is no additional construction there without your permission.

The Delhi High Court Wednesday directed the police and the DDA to ensure no construction is carried out in the Sanjay Van area of the national capital without their permission. A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan issued the direction to Delhi Police and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) while hearing a PIL initiated by the court on its own after taking cognisance of two social media videos showing alleged illegal encroachments in that area.

The court on the last date of hearing on July 8 had directed the police and DDA to carry out an aerial survey of the area via drones and inform it about the number of ''mazars'' (a mausoleum) there and since when they were in existence. Delhi Police, in its report filed through Delhi government standing counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra and advocate Chaitanya Gosain, has told the court that there are 77 ''mazars'' in Sanjay Van, a forest area near Vasant Kunj and Mehrauli in south Delhi, and that all of them are very old.

"Absolutely nothing new there," Mehra told the bench during the hearing held via video conferencing. A similar stand was taken by DDA too.

The court, thereafter, directed both authorities to "take steps to ensure there is no additional construction there without your permission. Some mechanism should be there to prevent any additional construction there." PTI HMP SKV SA.