Demarcation of Bibi ka Maqbara land completes under police security

Lokmat News Network

Aurangabad:

Sensation prevailed after a former corporator and others opposed the process to demarcate 84 acres of land registered in the name of Bibi ka Maqbara, initiated by the City Survey Office (CSO) team, today afternoon. Later on, in the presence of a tight police bandobast and opposition from the encroachers, the CSO squad completed the marking process.

The CSO officials started the demarcation process today at 10.30 am. Seeing them the alleged encroachers upon the land of Maqbara tried to obstruct them and stopped the marking process.

Earlier, the encroachers around Maqbara has claimed their ownership, but according to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI, Aurangabad Circle), they had encroached upon their land. As per the old documents, the land measuring around 3.39 lakh square metres (around 84 acres) is under the ownership of ASI. After persuasion, the ASI succeeded in officially getting the PR Card bearing CTS number 2033 (in Oct 2021). Later on, the ASI deposited Rs 10.27 lakh to the CSO for conducting the measurement and completing the marking of the ASI land as per the PR card and handing over the possession to the ASI. It may be noted that the G20 delegation will be visiting Maqbara in February. Hence the ASI is striving its best to maintain the periphery of the monument. Meanwhile, the police today intervened in the matter and completed the marking process under tight security.

The assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Ashok Thorat, police inspector Rajashri Aade, city survey officer Shalini Bidarkar, surveyor Hemant Auti, ASI officials D S Danve, Sanjay Rohankar and others were present during the demarcation process which got completed by afternoon.

Appeal in the court

The former corporator Afsar Khan and others opposed the demarcation process started by the CSO team. Hence tension prevailed for some time and the work was also halted. Later on, the police and CSO officials convinced him saying that if he is having any objections then he should take up the issue with their superior officers and appeal in the court for justice.

While speaking to media persons Afsar Khan said, “The demarcation process is wrong and illegal. It was started without serving a prior notice. The ownership of our land should be considered as per the PR card number and the fixation of boundaries in 1971. The measurement should not be done in land bearing CTS number 2034. I will take up the matter with the superintendent of land record (SLR) and then appeal in the court for justice.”