
Fahim Sikandar, a committee member, said on Monday that the Ujjain Municipal Corporation and the mosque’s Shahi Masjid committee had reached a deal to excise 3 feet of the eastern wall to make way for the road expansion needed for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela.
The decision sparked unrest the night before, as villagers, unaware of the compromise, hurled stones at the mosque and police fired tear‑gas shells.
In a separate hearing, the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court dismissed two writ appeals, declaring the agreement binding and ordering both parties to honour it.
Work is slated to start Tuesday morning and, according to Sikandar, will take seven to eight days; heavy machinery will be deployed only if necessary, with safety guards on site.
Mohammad Ali, a 45‑year‑old street vendor who has sold spices outside the mosque for 30 years, told reporters he hopes the demolition will not damage the shrine he considers a part of his heritage.