New Delhi: Indian History Congress (IHC), a national level organisation of historians, has passed a resolution opposing the New Delhi Municipal Corporation’s (NDMC) bid to demolish the Sunehri Bagh Masjid in the national capital.
The NDMC in December had issued a public notice for the removal of the medieval era mosque after they received references from Delhi’s traffic police to “ensure sustainable mobility” of vehicles in the area. The NDMC then sought public opinion on the proposed removal of the mosque.
Calling NDMC’s decision “unacceptable and unwise”, the IHC resolution said that there has been a “constant attempt to erode our medieval architectural heritage in recent times.”
The full text of the resolution is attached below.
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New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) recently brought out a public notice announcing its application to the Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC to demolish the Sunheri Bagh Mosque to ensure sustainable mobility of the traffic.
Regarding this proposal of demolition, the Indian History Congress objects on the following counts:
The Sunehri Bagh Mosque is a Mughal-era structure that is still in use. According to the definitions of Grade IlI buildings, Clause 1.12, Annexure Il of the Unified Building Bylaws, buildings included in this category are those “of importance for townscape; that evoke architectural aesthetics, sociological interest… contribute to determining the character of the locality and can be representative of the lifestyle of a particular community of the region.”
Apart from its intrinsic importance as a relic from an era of the city’s history, its subsequent history during the construction of New Delhi is also of relevance. Its location on the roundabout is evocative of the town plan of New Delhi which sought to incorporate many historic structures, particularly those in active use as features of the new city plan instead of demolishing them.
The proposal to remove the roundabout is unacceptable and an unwise modification of an important feature of the street plan of New Delhi of which roundabouts are an integral and essential feature.
Further, there has been a constant attempt to erode our medieval architectural heritage in recent times.
The Indian History Congress strongly urges the NDMC to not go ahead with its proposal to remove this important historical structure.