DDA begins its demolition drive in Mehrauli amid tight police security

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) started a demolition drive on Friday in the Mehrauli area amid police security.

Locals claimed that the drive that started in the morning was demolishing two and three-storeyed buildings near Aulia Masjid at Andehria More along with shanties.

The land on which the alleged encroachment was done belonged to multiple agencies including DDA, Waqf Board, and ASI, they claimed.

"A demolition drive is being carried out by the Horticulture Department of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority. Police personnel have been deployed on the spot as preventive protection for DDA officials to carry out their duties and also to maintain law and order in the locality. Initially, the localities had staged a protest against the demolition but the situation was later brought under control," said a senior police official.

According to the demolition notice, the land on which the demolition is being carried out is a part of the Mehrauli Archaeological Park and the 'existing unauthorised encroachment' is acting as a hindrance to the development of the park.