Mall plan puts Jama Masjid Delhi at risk

[Introvert]

Mall plan puts Jama Masjid Delhi at risk
Updated at : Saturday, February 09, 2008
NEW DELHI: It's one of the largest mosques in Asia, the most important one in India and the last architectural wonder of Shahjahan.

The ancient structure is now under threat from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, which is all set to redevelop the area by digging dangerously close to the ancient structure.

The MCD is soon going to take over the area around the mosque and develop basement shopping malls almost at a handshaking distance of the mosque foundation.

The MCD authorities have approved a Rs 1200-crore plan for the revamp of the precincts of Jama Masjid complex which, experts say, can threaten the very survival of the mosque in the long run.

The plan is to build a 60-feet-deep four-storey basement complete with a shopping mall, which will comprise over 600 shops and a three-tier parking space to accommodate 4,500 cars, 4,000 two-wheelers and 60 buses.

The MCD's plan is shocking. The 60-feet-deep basement will begin just 30 meters from the footsteps to the mosque, directly affecting the very foundation of the splendid structure.

The country's leading structural engineers say there is a grave danger to the mosque if the plan is implemented. They warn that vibrations from the digging itself may be enough to pull down the mosque, and even a slight tremor of an earthquake may cause the Masjid fall.

Mall plan puts Jama Masjid Delhi at risk

 

[Flintlock]

Relax, the media will do hungama and someone will file a case.

 

[IndianMunda]

Relax, the media will do hungama and someone will file a case.

Agree, in India if good things are not possible easily then bad things are also not easy these days, I am sure there will be enough public outcry to save monument.

 

[ahussains]

every one know how the Saheed the Babri Mosque ,, they try to give so many proves and tehy will do what they want ,, they always need to play with the sentiments of the other religoons

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

every one know how the Saheed the Babri Mosque ,, they try to give so many proves and tehy will do what they want ,, they always need to play with the sentiments of the other religoons

Do they?

Apart from the Moslems and Hindus, I don't think any other religion has cried "Foul".

So, to assume so, is the first mistake.

India is quite concerned about the tourist traffic and they will not be endangering a historical edifice for commercial spinoffs because it is India's history that makes it colourful, exotic and different!

 

[Flintlock]

Here is the whole story:

Jama Masjid beautification project fails to take off
10 Feb, 2008, 1314 hrs IST, IANS

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NEW DELHI: The pristine glory of the 17th century Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque in Delhi's old quarters, is nowhere close to being restored as a Rs.2.5-billion project for its beautification has failed to take off.

Mughal emperor Shah Jahan is said to have built the grand mosque in such a manner that it would be visible from the majestic Red Fort. But a cluster of shops and residences called Meena Bazaar completely obstructs this view today.

In view of these encroachments, the Delhi High Court had approved the redevelopment programme for the historic mosque and in October 2006 ordered the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to execute the plan by May 18, 2008.

But with three months to go for the deadline, the work to spruce up the mosque's precincts has not even started. The MCD now says it has now modified the plan, which has been sent for approval to the Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC).

Vijay Singh, project coordinator and MCD deputy commissioner, city zone, told IANS, "We have redrafted the master plan seen by the court.

"In place of Meena Bazaar we have now conceptualised a community centre and a shopping complex, which will also finance the project." Incidentally, the bazaar was established by a government agency, the Delhi Development Authority, in 1979 after excavating the land around the magnificent mosque.

Under the new project, the Meena Bazaar area will be brought to its earlier level so that it does not obstruct the view of the Jama Masjid where thousands of devotees gather to offer prayers even today.

"Under the new plan, the 600-odd shopkeepers at Meena Bazaar will be rehabilitated under the lawns at the Parade Ground end. Another 600 illegal shopkeepers around the Kalimullah dargah (near Jama Masjid) will also be given space at the same level."

Under the original plan, the civic agency had proposed to build a multilevel underground parking on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis at the Parade Ground in front of Red Fort.

"The Delhi High Court had objected to the multi-level parking. So under the new plan a three-level parking lot has been proposed under the lawns towards Subhash Marg," Singh said.

"Part of the parking will be under the commercial stretch and will be utilised by the residents and shopkeepers of Meena Bazaar."

"The plan has been now submitted to DUAC and its approval is awaited," Singh said. "After getting the approval this month, the MCD hopes to finish the project before 2010."

Singh was appointed project coordinator by the Delhi High Court to coordinate with different agencies and ensure its timely completion. The court had also barred his transfer until the project was completed.

But the modification of the project has been challenged in the high court, where a petition has been filed seeking Singh's removal for not taking initiatives for timely completion of the project.

 

[never]

will it be the lord Ram mall where he used to shop thousands of years earlier

 

[su-47]

will it be the lord Ram mall where he used to shop thousands of years earlier

WTF man, there is no mall there yet, and i can bet my nuts there wont be one. once the media reports this, the mall will probably be moved so as not to bring down the historic structure.

no need to bring Hinduism or Lord Ram into this.

 

[Flintlock]

^^^Kinda funny how this is in the Theology section. It has got nothing to do with theology.

Poor city planning/corruption perhaps. Not theology.