New Delhi, The Resident Welfare Association of Defence Colony is collecting ₹1,000 from every household to raise the penalty imposed by the Supreme Court for the unauthorised occupation of the Lodhi-era monument, Gumti of Shaikh Ali, for over six decades.
The apex court directed the Defence Colony RWA to pay ₹40 lakh as compensation for using the historical site as an office.
RWA president Ranjit Singh told PTI, “We are collecting ₹1,000 from each household to collect the required amount. This is how we plan to pay the penalty once we receive the official notice.”
Following the court’s directive, RWA members and residents immediately stepped forward to contribute, he added. There are over 800 families in Defence Colony, Singh said.
“Some members of Defence Colony RWA are contributing larger amounts, and I am personally adding a significant sum. This is how we are gathering the required penalty amount,” he said.
As of now, they have not received a formal notice from the Supreme Court regarding the payment. However, once they do, they will pay, he said.
Singh also added that the association has vacated the historical site and handed it over to the authorities.
A bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddin Amanullah declined to waive the penalty and scheduled the next hearing for April 8.
“We believe it is appropriate for the Resident Welfare Association to pay ₹40 lakh to the Delhi government’s archaeology department, which is responsible for conserving and restoring the monument,” the bench said.
Earlier, the top court asked the RWA to justify how much penalty should be imposed for the unauthorised use of the site. It also directed Delhi’s archaeology department to set up a committee for the monument’s restoration.
The court previously ordered a “peaceful” transfer of the site to the Land and Development Office after reviewing a report submitted by Swapna Liddle, former convener of the Delhi chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage .
In November 2024, the bench criticised the Archaeological Survey of India for failing to protect the monument, following a CBI report that revealed the RWA had been using the 15th-century structure as its office.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
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