Anti-encroachment drive: Religious structures on central Delhi footpath razed amid tight security

The Delhi government's Public Works Department carried out a drive to demolish portions of two religious structures on a footpath in central Delhi amid tight police security on Saturday.

The anti-encroachment drive was executed on the directions of the Delhi High Court, an official said.

"The drive is being carried out to remove religious structures that have been constructed on the footpath. There are high court orders on this.

On Saturday, portions of a "Jheel Ka Piao" mandir and a mosque were demolished," a Public Works Department (PWD) official said.

The department has identified religious structures that are encroaching some part of public land as part of its preparations for the G-20 Summit, according to sources.

Police said adequate number of personnel were deployed for the drive.

Officials said the drive was carried out following the high court's directions to the PWD to carry out work to construct a pedestrian passage at "Jheel Ka Piao" on Mathura Road, ITO, even if it called for razing a portion of the temple and the mosque.

The official said ceilings and some part of the boundary walls of the two religious structures were demolished.

Videos of the drive showed bulldozers razing portions of the two structures.