In a significant move to reclaim public land from illegal occupations, the Delhi High Court on Friday directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Public Works Department (PWD) to remove encroachments at the iconic Ramlila Ground within the next three months. The court has ordered the eviction of encroachers to clear an area of 38,940 square feet near Turkman Gate.
The order, passed by a bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, comes in response to a petition filed by the Save India Foundation, a trust led by civic activist Preet Sirohi. The foundation had urged the court to intervene after repeated complaints to authorities went unheeded, highlighting the unauthorised use of prime public space in the heart of the capital.
According to a joint survey report (JSR) conducted in October 2025 by MCD, PWD, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Land and Development Office (L&DO), the revenue department, and local police, the encroachments include 2,512 sq ft on PWD-managed road and footpath areas, and 36,248 sq ft on MCD land, comprising a banquet hall (Barat Ghar), parking spaces, a private diagnostic centre, and various illegal commercial establishments.
Notably, the court refrained from issuing removal directives for an additional 7,343 sq ft occupied by the Faiz-e-Ilahi mosque and an adjacent graveyard, as this portion falls under L&DO jurisdiction. The bench observed that any inter-departmental disputes between MCD and L&DO regarding ownership must be resolved by the authorities themselves.
In its November 15 order, the High Court mandated that MCD and PWD “initiate and conclude the removal of encroachments expeditiously within three months.” The authorities have been instructed to provide affected parties an opportunity to be heard before any demolition or clearance actions, ensuring fairness.
The bench emphasized the importance of reclaiming public assets, stating that “such encroachments cannot be allowed to persist on government land meant for public use.” It also directed the respondents to file a compliance report detailing the actions taken post-removal.
