The Delhi High Court has approved a redevelopment plan for Kalkaji Mandir in South Delhi. The Court has asked the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to hold meetings to take the process forward.
The High Court, dealing with a batch of pleas on civic amenities and cleanliness in and around the temple complex, ordered that the layout plan submitted by the architects be forwarded by the temple administrator to the Town Planning Department of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
The bench comprising Justice Prathiba M. Singh approved the plan for the temple and its precincts. The Court further stated that the contour plans shall now be prepared, and the team to oversee the development of Mandir shall also be finalised by the administrator in consultation with the two architects.
Justice Prathiba M. Singh further clarified that while implementing the redevelopment plan, it shall be ensured that any trees that are already in the precincts would not be disturbed. The High Court sought a report in the matter before January 12, clarifying that the redevelopment plan shall also be forwarded to the Department of Delhi Fire Services at an appropriate stage.
The court also said that the redevelopment plan does not in any manner take away the rights vested in the land on which the temple is situated, as it was being implemented merely to provide amenities and facilities to the devotees and make it more accessible to them.
In addition, the court ordered the MCD officials to hold a joint meeting with the architects and the administrators so that the first portion of the landscaping can be commenced and the process of getting approvals for the redevelopment of Kalkaji mandir can begin. It added that the MCD shall also inform the architect if any approval is required from the Ridge Management Board.
Earlier in 2021, the Court had also directed the removal of encroachments and unauthorised occupants and shopkeepers, who did not have any valid legal rights to occupy the space. Furthermore, it had appointed Goonmeet Singh Chauhan, a renowned architect who has undertaken various projects of public importance, to submit a redevelopment plan for the temple and the complex where it is located.