The Supreme Court on Wednesday (October 7, 2026) pulled up the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for their “total lackadaisical approach” to tackling widespread encroachments and ensuring the preservation of notified heritage structures in the national capital.
“We find a total lackadaisical approach by the authorities in either assisting the Court Commissioner or acting in a manner which would indicate that they are serious about what they implement on the ground. Matters ranging from keeping the sites free of encroachment, their cleanliness, status reports, details with regard to ownership, settlement, and the current position are not forthcoming. Even the authorities, which, in law, are presumed to have knowledge of these matters and are supposed to maintain records, are blissfully ignorant of such details,” a Bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and N. The observations came while the top court was hearing a petition filed by Delhi resident Rajeev Suri concerning the preservation and restoration of heritage sites across the national capital.
Kotiswar Singh said.
Accordingly, it directed the Secretary of the Union Ministry of Culture, the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Chairperson of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), the Secretary of the Delhi government’s Department of Archaeology, the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Commissioner of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the Director General of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), and the Managing Director of the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) to remain physically present in court on the next date of hearing. It pointed out that despite being notified heritage structures, the monuments had been heavily encroached upon and the surrounding areas were strewn with litter. He also pointed out that the interiors of the monuments had been used as dumping grounds, while one of them had, until recently, been used as a cow shed. The MCD subsequently cleared the waste following the court’s intervention. Taking exception to the findings, Justice Amanullah questioned senior advocate S.D.
It accordingly summoned senior officials of the authorities concerned to appear before it on the next date of hearing on October 15, and indicated that a senior government officer would be entrusted with ensuring inter-departmental coordination.
The Bench also flagged an “absolute lack of cohesion” among various government departments and civic bodies in implementing its earlier directions to clear extensive encroachments and litter from Lodhi-era tombs in Zamrudpur.
The court-appointed team of commissioners, led by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, placed a report before the Bench detailing the state of five heritage monuments in south Delhi’s Zamrudpur. Sanjay, appearing for the MCD, on why the encroachments had not been removed despite the court’s earlier directions.
