Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, December 19
The demolition of the upper floor of the Sanjauli mosque in Shimla has begun following directions from the Himachal Pradesh High Court, officials said on Friday. The mosque, located in the state capital, had earlier seen the removal of two floors, while one upper floor declared illegal was pending demolition. The delay was due to procedural clearances and approval of the proposed budget, which have now been granted, allowing the work to resume.
The officials said that the demolition is being carried out with the cooperation of the mosque committee. According to the Waqf Board, all portions of the building declared illegal are expected to be dismantled within a month. Following the High Court’s directions, demolition work has now restarted. The court has ordered that the lower two floors — the ground floor and the first floor — should remain as they are, maintaining the status quo, while action is taken against the unauthorised upper portions. The Sanjauli mosque has been at the centre of public and legal scrutiny, with the case being closely monitored by civic authorities and the court.
Mohammad Latif, president of the Sanjauli Mosque Committee, said the committee was complying with the High Court’s orders. He said the committee had earlier informed the municipal commissioner about its willingness to remove the three floors that were declared unauthorised.
