Muslims Voluntarily Remove 168-Year-Old Mosque To Make Way For Rapid Rail Project In Uttar Pradesh

The move comes after a consensus was reached between the administration and locals following the orders regarding the rapid rail project.

Meerut: A mosque, believed to be 168 years old here in Uttar Pradesh is being voluntarily razed by members of the Muslim community to make way for the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS).

The move comes after a consensus was reached between the district administration and locals following the orders that claimed the historic mosque comes in the way of the rapid rail project.

The project is jointly handled by the Public Works Department (PWD) and the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC). The Delhi-Meerut road falls under the jurisdiction of the PWD, while the construction of the RRTS corridor underneath the road, where the mosque is located, is executed by the NCRTC.

“Both the departments approached the mosque management and requested them for the removal of the mosque to clear the path for development work,” said Meerut City's additional district magistrate (ADM), Brijesh Kumar Singh.

“There is no confrontation from the management or the locals. We are now in the process of deciding the compensation in consultation with the mosque management,” he said.

The management started hammering the mosque late at night and began the demolishing work in the presence of NCRTC and police officials, Singh said.

“The front wall, including the main door, was removed by the people themselves yesterday. The management of the mosque was also cooperating. The work started late at night. The mosque is located in a congested area, which may lead to traffic jams during the day,” the ADM said.

The mosque has been a part of the Meerut neighbourhood for 168 years, having been constructed in 1857. It was “briefly locked up” in 1981 after a lawsuit was brought against it.

The mosque was then restored and operational following a legal battle in the Supreme Court until the authorities in Uttar Pradesh recently ordered its destruction.

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