The Supreme Court has ordered Delhi Police to increase daily patrolling in the Walled City area to stop illegal construction and unauthorized conversion of homes into commercial properties. This comes after residents raised concerns about ongoing violations despite previous court orders.
The case began when two Chandni Chowk residents filed a petition against illegal construction above a home in Bagh Deewar, Fatehpuri. The court had earlier stopped the construction and asked the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to seal any properties violating its rules.
A bench led by Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi expressed frustration over continued violations. They said, “This is a complete fraud happening with help from some MCD officials. Police must patrol daily and arrest anyone caught trying to build illegally on the spot.”
Senior advocate Sanjeev Sagar, representing the MCD, informed the court that the civic body is enforcing the ban as per the Supreme Court’s May 23 order. The court appreciated the recent efforts but questioned how some builders managed to complete illegal work since 2022 despite the ban.
The MCD also mentioned that some properties have legal stay orders preventing demolition. The court asked the MCD to provide a list of these properties and said it would review the matter in the next hearing in four weeks.
The Supreme Court directed the police commissioner to keep police teams deployed for strict daily patrolling and to enforce demolition orders that have not been stayed. They emphasized that all unauthorized construction must be stopped immediately and affected properties sealed.
Earlier in May, the court had banned converting residential buildings into commercial spaces in the Walled City. It warned the MCD of serious consequences, including contempt proceedings, if illegal activity continued. However, violations persisted, prompting the court’s latest directions to the police.
This strong order aims to preserve the heritage and residential character of the Walled City and protect residents from illegal construction activities.