The Allahabad High Court has instructed the District Magistrate (DM) and Station House Officer (SHO) of Moradabad to address the unauthorized construction of a temple in a public park at Buddh Vihar, Majhola. This directive comes after a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed concerning the illicit activities in the park managed by the Awas Vikas Parishad.
During a session presided over by Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Vikas Budhwar, the court addressed the allegations brought forward by petitioner Neeraj Kumar Tyagi. Tyagi reported that despite requests to halt construction from the Awas Vikas Parishad’s executive engineer, the work continued unabated. Subsequent appeals for intervention to both the SHO and DM had previously gone unanswered.
The petitioner’s legal counsel, Rajvendra Singh, highlighted a standing government order from October 29, 2009, which explicitly bans the erection of religious structures such as temples, churches, mosques, and gurdwaras on public property, including parks and roads. In light of this, the court was urged to ensure enforcement of the law.
Additionally, the court has been asked to allow Tyagi to add those responsible for the construction as respondents to the PIL, emphasizing the need for accountability and legal compliance.
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The next hearing is scheduled for July 8, where further proceedings are expected to take place, hopefully leading to a resolution that upholds the rule of law and the intended use of public spaces.
