Indian Railways issues ‘removal of encroachment’ notice to two mosques in the heart of Delhi

The Delhi Waqf Board stated the mosques were Waqf Board property, and the notices were “surprising”.

The Indian Railways has issued a notice for “removal of encroachment” to two mosques in the heart of New Delhi. A Northern Railway spokesperson said that the structures were on railway land along the main route between Delhi and Ghaziabad. 

The Masjid Bengali Market in the Bengali market area, and the Taqia Babar Shah mosque near Tilak Bridge have received the notice, and have been instructed to vacate the premises with 15 days. 

The notice pasted on the mosques, which do not bear any official stamp, seal or signatures state: “Railway property has been illegally invaded upon. You must voluntarily dismantle any unlicensed structures, including temples, mosques or shrines within 15 days of receiving this alert or the railway administration will take legal action.”

The Delhi Waqf Board stated the mosques were Waqf Board property, and the notices were “surprising”. The mosques are said to be over 250 years old, and were handed over to the Waqf Board by the British before Independence. 

The Centre is engaged in a legal tussle with the Waqf Board to acquire multiple Waqf Board properties. 

In April this year, municipal corporation officials from Delhi demolished a portion of a mosque and razed the main hall and rooms constructed there. The hall was a madrassa where about 120 underprivileged children lived and studied.