HC stops NDMC from demolishing 55-yr-old public library

The Delhi High Court today restrained the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) from demolishing a 55-year-old branch of the Delhi Public Library till its further order.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal, however, said that the library at Karol Bagh in central Delhi, "shall be kept closed and nobody shall be permitted to enter the premises till further order".
"There will be a stay of the order of the demolition by the NDMC till the next date of hearing -- December 5," the bench said, adding that the authorities shall file their reply by that time.

The order came on a plea filed by some scholars and journalists, who have moved against the NDMC's two notices to the Delhi Public Library in Karol Bagh to vacate the premises claiming that the building was structurally unfit and dangerous.
The library has been issued two notices, one on September 15 and the other on November 4, asking them to vacate so that the building could be demolished.
Seeking quashing of the notices, the petitioners have alleged that the owner of the premises, Dimple Enterprises, "wants a commercial complex to come up in place of this library in order to make money from this land".

Stating that there was "no likelihood of immediate danger

to passersby or others while entering the premises", the petitioners' counsel Ashok Aggarwal urged the court to "appoint a court commissioner to inspect, evaluate and analyse the current status and condition of the library ".
The petitioners have also sought direction to "initiate enquiry against the officials concerned of the North MCD and the Chairman/defaulting officials concerned of the Delhi Library Board and Delhi Public Library".
Funded by the Ministry of Culture, Delhi Public Library Board is an autonomous body and it has around 45 branches and mobile libraries across Delhi.

The board consists of officers from both the government of India and the government of Delhi, intellectuals, members of Legislative Assembly and Councillors.