The Supreme Court, in a hearing on Wednesday, slammed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Union Ministry of Culture for failing to keep the city’s heritage monuments in good condition, citing a "lack of cohesion" among government agencies.
Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and N Kotiswar Singh directed senior officials—including the Culture Ministry secretary and the MCD commissioner—to appear before the bench on Oct. 15. The order also covered the director‑general of the Archaeological Survey of India, the vice‑chairman of the Delhi Development Authority and the secretary of the Delhi government’s Department of Archaeology.
During the session, the court examined the deteriorating state of Lal Mahal in Nizamuddin and encroachments on Lodhi‑era tombs in Zamrudpur. A senior advocate, Gopal Sankaranarayanan, presented a detailed report on the damage and the municipality’s lack of accountability.
"There is no seriousness on your part," the bench admonished the ASI, which maintains over 4,000 monuments nationwide. The court demanded that the agencies form a dedicated coordination team and submit a concrete action plan by the next hearing.
The next hearing will be scheduled after the officials submit their affidavits and a revised preservation strategy. Failure to comply could lead to stricter court orders or administrative penalties.