New Delhi witnessed a dramatic transformation around Turkman Gate on Wednesday, as the area turned into a high-security fortress following an intense overnight anti-encroachment operation. Authorities sealed all access roads and bylanes, deploying heavy police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel to maintain order after the demolition drive sparked tensions.
Midnight Operation and Massive Deployment
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) initiated the demolition around Tuesday midnight, continuing the work until sunrise. The operation was massive in scale, involving nearly 60 vehicles, including JCB machines and dumpers. About 100 labourers, supported by additional backup workers, were mobilized across five designated sectors—A, B, C, D, and E—each handled by a separate team. Six gas cutters were used to dismantle structures, while ambulances and portable toilets were arranged on-site.
The drive targeted illegal constructions on a significant 36,428 square feet of land near Ramlila Maidan. The razed structures included a banquet hall (baraat ghar), a private dialysis centre, other diagnostic facilities, and various commercial setups. MCD officials emphasized that the Syed Faiz Elahi mosque was not damaged, and only illegal portions beyond a 1940 lease covering about 0.2 acres were removed.
A Neighbourhood Under Lockdown
By Wednesday, the usually chaotic locality wore an eerie calm. Markets remained shuttered, and streets lay empty as police barricades blocked all approaches. Residents of nearby lanes, including those in DDA flats, were confined indoors, allowed outside only for emergencies. The heavy restrictions caught many by surprise.
Salam Ansari (32), a local resident, described the late-night chaos and repeated police announcements. "We didn't know we would not be allowed to step out. We heard noises but stayed indoors after being alerted," he said. Ansari was briefly permitted to cross barricades to take his unwell younger daughter to a relative's house in Chandni Chowk.
Shubham Kumar, a migrant worker from Aligarh living in the area for over a decade, mentioned that talk of a possible demolition had circulated a day earlier. His shop was close to the site. "After the announcements, we did not step out. We heard the noise through the night," he recounted.
Legal Backdrop and Aftermath
The action followed a complaint by the Save India Foundation, which alleged large-scale encroachment on Ramlila Maidan land for commercial purposes under the guise of religious and charitable activities. A joint survey by MCD, Land & Development Office (L&DO), and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) confirmed the encroachment.
Acting on Delhi High Court's directions, MCD conducted personal hearings with stakeholders. It concluded that the historic lease covered only about 0.2 acres, with no legal rights established beyond it. The corporation stated it had issued two notices, with the final one served on December 22. The drive was executed after the stipulated 15-day compliance period.
Outside the demolished complex, the aftermath was stark. Remnants of the dialysis centre—hospital beds, medical equipment, broken furniture, and discarded shoes—lay scattered across the rubble near the adjoining mosque. Debris-clearing operations began on Wednesday afternoon as the area remained under strict vigil, marking a significant urban enforcement action in the heart of the capital.
