Central Vista Project: Qadeemi Masjid omitted from the layout of Krishi Bhawan redevelopment project
In 2024, the Delhi High Court dismissed a plea filed by the Waqf Board seeking protection for six mosques inside the Central Vista area undergoing redevelopment. This decision was made in view of the Central government’s submission in 2021, which stated that there were no plans to affect these structures at that time. However, the construction of one of these mosques is omitted in the new redevelopment plan. A tender floated on 19th January 2026, by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) for the redevelopment of Krishi Bhawan and Shastri Bhawan, reportedly makes no mention of the supposedly 100-year-old Qadeemi Masjid. This mosque is located in the open court within the Krishi Bhawan compound. Also known as the ‘Krishi Bhawan Masjid’, the Qadeemi Masjid is a notified Waqf property reportedly listed in the Delhi administration gazette of 1970. An Indian Express report says that while the tender does not place Qadeemi Masjid in the list of structures to be removed, the detailed drawings attached to the tender do not show the mosque at its current location in the proposed new building layout. Operating under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), CPWD floated a tender in January this year for the construction of Common Central Secretariat (CCS) buildings 4 and 5, at the site of the Krishi Bhawan and Shashi Bhawan. This project is estimated to cost around Rs 3,006.07 crore and take 24 months. “The work shall be carried out within a designated land parcel currently housing the buildings of Shastri Bhawan and Krishi Bhawan, located at plot No.120 Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi, after dismantling the existing buildings,” the tender document states, adding that the bid is open till 13th February. Earlier, a temple and a mosque situated on the premises of the erstwhile official residence of the Vice President at 6, Maulana Azad Road, were removed for the Central Vista redevelopment. However, the omission of the Qadeemi Masjid in the detailed drawings is being framed by the mainstream media as the mosque’s future being under ‘threat’, suggesting that the mosque will be demolished. Delhi HC had Waqf Board plea seeking protection of six mosques Back in 2021, the Delhi Waqf Board filed a petition, through its counsel, Sanjoy Ghose, in the Delhi High Court seeking protection and preservation of the six mosques in the Central Vista area amid the redevelopment. The six mosques in question included the Qadeemi Masjid, Masjid Zabta Ganj, Jama Masjid (Red Cross Road/Parliament Street), mosques/mazar on Sunehri Bagh Road, and one at the Vice President’s residence. The Delhi Waqf Board called these mosques its ‘heritage properties’. In its plea, the Delhi Waqf Board has argued that the mosques in question were “more than ordinary mosques, and have a distinction attached to them.” They further claimed that “neither the British Government nor the Government of India have ever created any hindrance in the observance of religious practice” at these ‘preserved’ properties. It was also highlighted in the petition that all these Waqf properties are over 100 years old and have been in continuous use for Islamic purposes. “It is not the case that the government buildings were built first and thereafter these properties came into existence; to the contrary, these properties were well in existence when the government buildings were constructed around them or in the vicinity,” the plea stated. During the hearing on 1st December 2021, the Central government, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, assured the court that the Central Vista Redevelopment Project has not reached “anywhere near” the Waqf Board’s properties in question. “It (redevelopment project) is a long-term plan. Kindly have it after three weeks. Nothing is happening to these properties. My learned friend (petitioner) can rest assured,” SG Mehta said back then. While the Waqf Board wanted that SG Mehta’s assurance be taken on record, the single judge bench of Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva denied the request, stating that it has “full faith” in Mehta’s assurance. In July 2024, the matter regained attention as the Delhi High Court dismissed the Waqf Board’s petition regarding the six mosques located in the Central Vista area. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav had noted back then that the overall Central Vista Redevelopment Project was already approved by the Supreme Court. The Delhi High Court, however, granted liberty to the Waqf Board to approach it again “in case the petitioner realises any threat to the properties”. The court asked the Delhi Waqf Board to withdraw its petition seeking protection and preservation of the six mosques, stating that there was no need to complicate the matter. “Withdraw this petition. We do not want to complicate. As and when they take any action, you can come,” Justice Kaurav said. Interestingly, the tenure of the last Waqf Board ended in 2023, and has sin
In 2024, the Delhi High Court dismissed a plea filed by the Waqf Board seeking protection for six mosques inside the Central Vista area undergoing redevelopment. This decision was made in view of the Central government’s submission in 2021, which stated that there were no plans to affect these structures at that time. However, the construction of one of these mosques is omitted in the new redevelopment plan.
A tender floated on 19th January 2026, by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) for the redevelopment of Krishi Bhawan and Shastri Bhawan, reportedly makes no mention of the supposedly 100-year-old Qadeemi Masjid. This mosque is located in the open court within the Krishi Bhawan compound.
Also known as the ‘Krishi Bhawan Masjid’, the Qadeemi Masjid is a notified Waqf property reportedly listed in the Delhi administration gazette of 1970.
An Indian Express report says that while the tender does not place Qadeemi Masjid in the list of structures to be removed, the detailed drawings attached to the tender do not show the mosque at its current location in the proposed new building layout.
Operating under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), CPWD floated a tender in January this year for the construction of Common Central Secretariat (CCS) buildings 4 and 5, at the site of the Krishi Bhawan and Shashi Bhawan. This project is estimated to cost around Rs 3,006.07 crore and take 24 months.
“The work shall be carried out within a designated land parcel currently housing the buildings of Shastri Bhawan and Krishi Bhawan, located at plot No.120 Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi, after dismantling the existing buildings,” the tender document states, adding that the bid is open till 13th February.
Earlier, a temple and a mosque situated on the premises of the erstwhile official residence of the Vice President at 6, Maulana Azad Road, were removed for the Central Vista redevelopment.
However, the omission of the Qadeemi Masjid in the detailed drawings is being framed by the mainstream media as the mosque’s future being under ‘threat’, suggesting that the mosque will be demolished.
Delhi HC had Waqf Board plea seeking protection of six mosques
Back in 2021, the Delhi Waqf Board filed a petition, through its counsel, Sanjoy Ghose, in the Delhi High Court seeking protection and preservation of the six mosques in the Central Vista area amid the redevelopment.
The six mosques in question included the Qadeemi Masjid, Masjid Zabta Ganj, Jama Masjid (Red Cross Road/Parliament Street), mosques/mazar on Sunehri Bagh Road, and one at the Vice President’s residence. The Delhi Waqf Board called these mosques its ‘heritage properties’.
In its plea, the Delhi Waqf Board has argued that the mosques in question were “more than ordinary mosques, and have a distinction attached to them.” They further claimed that “neither the British Government nor the Government of India have ever created any hindrance in the observance of religious practice” at these ‘preserved’ properties. It was also highlighted in the petition that all these Waqf properties are over 100 years old and have been in continuous use for Islamic purposes.
“It is not the case that the government buildings were built first and thereafter these properties came into existence; to the contrary, these properties were well in existence when the government buildings were constructed around them or in the vicinity,” the plea stated.
During the hearing on 1st December 2021, the Central government, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, assured the court that the Central Vista Redevelopment Project has not reached “anywhere near” the Waqf Board’s properties in question.
“It (redevelopment project) is a long-term plan. Kindly have it after three weeks. Nothing is happening to these properties. My learned friend (petitioner) can rest assured,” SG Mehta said back then.
While the Waqf Board wanted that SG Mehta’s assurance be taken on record, the single judge bench of Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva denied the request, stating that it has “full faith” in Mehta’s assurance.
In July 2024, the matter regained attention as the Delhi High Court dismissed the Waqf Board’s petition regarding the six mosques located in the Central Vista area.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav had noted back then that the overall Central Vista Redevelopment Project was already approved by the Supreme Court. The Delhi High Court, however, granted liberty to the Waqf Board to approach it again “in case the petitioner realises any threat to the properties”.
The court asked the Delhi Waqf Board to withdraw its petition seeking protection and preservation of the six mosques, stating that there was no need to complicate the matter.
“Withdraw this petition. We do not want to complicate. As and when they take any action, you can come,” Justice Kaurav said.
Interestingly, the tenure of the last Waqf Board ended in 2023, and has since not been reconstituted.
Then-AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan’s threats against the demolition of mosques in the Central Vista
It must be recalled that the Central Vista Project had faced criticism and opposition in 2021 from anti-BJP political parties like Congress and Aam Aadmi Party, left liberal cabal, and Islamists alike. Propaganda campaigns were run to portray the project as an absolute waste of money, even as the reality suggested otherwise. Several petitions were filed with the motive of stalling the project, which were eventually dismissed by the courts.
Amidst the political storm and legal challenges, then-MLA from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, Amanatullah Khan, had gone a step ahead and ‘warned’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi against demolishing mosques within the government premises under the Central Vista project. Until 2023, Amanatullah Khan was also the chief of Delhi’s Sunni Waqf Board.
In a letter to PM Modi, Khan, the AAP MLA from Okhla, voiced concern that people on social media have shared their fears that some mosques were “on the verge of being demolished” as a result of the project. Amanatullah Khan has a record of making anti-Hindu comments and orchestrating violence against Hindus, and threatened that any attempts to demolish the mosques inside the government premises under the Central Vista project, “will not be tolerated”.
“Zabta Ganj mosque at Mansingh Road, the mosque at Vice President’s residence and the mosque at Krishi Bhawan may face damage due to the Central Vista project. I will discuss the issue with PMO and Hardeep S Puri (Union Housing and Urban Affairs minister). No damage to these mosques will be tolerated,” he wrote in an X post.
Speaking to Indian Express, Amanatullah Khan claimed that the Central government gave assurance that the mosques situated in the Central Vista area would not be affected, and thus, it would be wrong if they were to demolish them now.
“The government had said in court that the mosques would not be affected. If they are now going to demolish it, it is wrong,” Khan said.
While there is no official confirmation if the Qadeemi Masjid will be demolished or not, the mainstream media’s framing of the absence of the structure in the tender’s design drawings is such that the Central government is somehow backtracking from its promise. However, the assurance given by the Solicitor General in the Delhi High Court back in 2021 was not a permanent or absolute commitment that the six mosques would never be affected by the Central Vista Redevelopment project. Thus, the Central government did not promise any eternal safeguard to the mosques.
