Shah Jahan's Badli Ki Sarai on verge of extinction, ASI cries helplessness

Attracting a large number of globetrotters every year, Delhi is home to many world heritage monuments. However, many of the monuments in the national capital that preserve the country's illustrious past have suffered neglect over the years at the hands of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the government organisation responsible for maintenance of ancient monuments.

Badli Ki Sarai, a Mughal monument located on Grand Trunk Road, built by emperor Shah Jahan in 1650, is one such monument that is on verge of extinction. The venue of famous Battle of Badli ki Sarai, fought early in the Indian rebellion of 1857 between the rebel sepoys and the Gordon Highlanders is literally in state of ruins.

Sharing the boundary with Azadpur Mandi, Asia's biggest fruit and vegetable market, the historical monument has been encroached from all sides. This despite the fact that the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules 1959 prohibits construction within 100 meters of the protected monuments.

Crying helplessness, ASI has passed the buck to the civic body concerned. Vishnu Kant, working as Conservation Assistant at ASI, speaking with iamin, tries to explain, “MCD is responsible for managing such illegal encroachments. We don't have any authority to stop these encroachments. We issue notice for the demolition of such buildings, an order is issued by the directorate and sent to MCD and they do not follow it.”

Kant further adds that even if they try to remove the encroachers, their staff has to bear the wrath of the goons involved. “We had even demanded a squad for such demolitions from the Ministry of Culture but nothing happened,” he highlights.

Not only the authorities are to be blamed alone, but even the visitors are equally responsible for defacing the monument and littering the premises. 

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