Court alarmed over poor state of Haksar Haveli
NEWDELHI: Haksar Haveli, once a home to Indira Gandhi’s mother and the place where Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister got married to Kamala Nehru, is being destroyed by builders for money, the Delhi High Court was informed on Wednesday. The court ordered an immediate inspection of the property.
Terming it as an “extremely serious” matter, a bench of acting chief justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar directed the commissioner of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), SHO of the Hauz Qazi police station and the petitioner and her representatives to immediately conduct the inspection.
“We direct the commissioner of NDMC to forthwith conduct a physical inspection of the properties, which are the subject matter of this application and to file a status report before this court regarding the construction; the authorisation of the NDMC thereof as well as the action taken against the officers who have permitted the same to be commenced and carried on,” the bench said in its order.
The court’s direction came after advocate M Qayamuddin, appearing for the petitioner Kusum Sehgal, informed the bench about the illegal construction being carried out at the heritage property.
Photographs of the ongoing construction was brought to the notice of the court which directed Delhi Police to make sure that no more construction takes place.
According to the petitioner, Kusum Sehgal, mushairas and other programmes were conducted at the heritage building till it was taken up for illegal and unauthorised construction.
The bench, while calling for “stringent” and “immediate action”, issued notices to all the authorities seeking their response on how such illegal construction has come up.
The plea claimed that the house was sold to one family in 1966 who again sold it to a third party.
It said former prime minister Indira Gandhi had visited the haveli and spent 30 minutes there.
“One property which is being destroyed is of Indira Gandhi’s mother who used to stay here. Even Jawaharlal Nehru had come here to marry Kamala. Builders are destroying this heritage building for financial lust,” the plea said.
The court also appointed advocate Anil Aggarwal as an amicus curiae in the matter and fixed April 13 as the next date of hearing.