Ujjain mosque damaged during road-widening operation
A portion of Ujjain’s Shahi Masjid was damaged on Thursday during dismantling work linked to a road-widening project for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2028, with district authorities saying nobody was injured.
Ujjain Collector Roshan Kumar Singh said the affected section at Chhatri Chowk fell within the area required for the project and sustained damage while it was being removed. He said the operation was proceeding peacefully with cooperation from local representatives and residents, while officials continued to monitor the site.
Singh urged people to rely on authentic information and warned that legal action would be taken against anyone spreading rumours, misleading claims or false information through social media or other channels. The appeal followed days of heightened security around the mosque after protests over the road project.
The damage occurred while workers were dismantling a minaret affected by the widening plan. During the operation, part of the structure fell onto another section of the mosque, damaging its outer area. Authorities said all workers were safe and that remedial work was being undertaken.
Police remained deployed around Chhatri Chowk and adjoining areas as the administration sought to prevent a fresh confrontation. Officials maintained communication with representatives of different religious communities and local residents during the operation.
The work is part of a wider programme to improve access through central Ujjain before Simhastha 2028, when the city is expected to receive a large influx of pilgrims. The disputed stretch forms part of a route connecting the Gopal Mandir area towards the Mahakal temple and the Kshipra river.
The Shahi Masjid issue had triggered clashes on September 28 when protesters gathered near the site as work to remove the affected portion was due to proceed. Stones were thrown at police during the confrontation, and security personnel used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Police subsequently detained several people and maintained a substantial presence around the area.
The legal dispute over the project also moved through the Madhya Pradesh High Court. On September 9, a single judge at the court’s Indore bench dismissed petitions challenging notices issued by the Ujjain Municipal Corporation for removal of the portion obstructing the proposed road alignment.
The civic body told the court that the road was being widened to 15 metres and argued that the work was necessary to handle traffic during major religious events, including Simhastha. It said structures along much of the route had already been removed and maintained that the project was being implemented in the larger public interest.
The petitioners, who administer the mosque and described it as registered Waqf property, challenged the municipal action and raised objections to the proposed removal. They subsequently filed appeals against the single-judge ruling.
Those appeals were disposed of by a division bench on September 28 after the petitioners informed the court that the dispute had been settled with the municipal corporation. The bench, comprising Justices Subodh Abhyankar and Jai Kumar Pillai, recorded the settlement and said assurances given by the corporation in its response and interim notice would remain binding on it.
The High Court’s September order recorded the corporation’s position that the route is an important Peshwai and Shahi Sawari corridor used by large numbers of devotees during festivals. The corporation argued that widening was needed to reduce congestion. The court rejected the petitions at that stage, while subsequent appeals ended after the parties concerned placed their settlement before the division bench.
The settlement came on the same day as the confrontation outside the mosque. The administration later proceeded with the removal work under tight security, with members of the local community participating in dismantling portions affected by the project.
The road expansion is among infrastructure works being undertaken across Ujjain for the 2028 gathering. Municipal authorities have said the programme includes widening routes used by pilgrims and improving movement through congested parts of the city.
Ujjain Collector Roshan Kumar Singh said the affected section at Chhatri Chowk fell within the area required for the project and sustained damage while it was being removed. He said the operation was proceeding peacefully with cooperation from local representatives and residents, while officials continued to monitor the site.
Singh urged people to rely on authentic information and warned that legal action would be taken against anyone spreading rumours, misleading claims or false information through social media or other channels. The appeal followed days of heightened security around the mosque after protests over the road project.
The damage occurred while workers were dismantling a minaret affected by the widening plan. During the operation, part of the structure fell onto another section of the mosque, damaging its outer area. Authorities said all workers were safe and that remedial work was being undertaken.
Police remained deployed around Chhatri Chowk and adjoining areas as the administration sought to prevent a fresh confrontation. Officials maintained communication with representatives of different religious communities and local residents during the operation.
The work is part of a wider programme to improve access through central Ujjain before Simhastha 2028, when the city is expected to receive a large influx of pilgrims. The disputed stretch forms part of a route connecting the Gopal Mandir area towards the Mahakal temple and the Kshipra river.
The Shahi Masjid issue had triggered clashes on September 28 when protesters gathered near the site as work to remove the affected portion was due to proceed. Stones were thrown at police during the confrontation, and security personnel used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Police subsequently detained several people and maintained a substantial presence around the area.
The legal dispute over the project also moved through the Madhya Pradesh High Court. On September 9, a single judge at the court’s Indore bench dismissed petitions challenging notices issued by the Ujjain Municipal Corporation for removal of the portion obstructing the proposed road alignment.
The civic body told the court that the road was being widened to 15 metres and argued that the work was necessary to handle traffic during major religious events, including Simhastha. It said structures along much of the route had already been removed and maintained that the project was being implemented in the larger public interest.
The petitioners, who administer the mosque and described it as registered Waqf property, challenged the municipal action and raised objections to the proposed removal. They subsequently filed appeals against the single-judge ruling.
Those appeals were disposed of by a division bench on September 28 after the petitioners informed the court that the dispute had been settled with the municipal corporation. The bench, comprising Justices Subodh Abhyankar and Jai Kumar Pillai, recorded the settlement and said assurances given by the corporation in its response and interim notice would remain binding on it.
The High Court’s September order recorded the corporation’s position that the route is an important Peshwai and Shahi Sawari corridor used by large numbers of devotees during festivals. The corporation argued that widening was needed to reduce congestion. The court rejected the petitions at that stage, while subsequent appeals ended after the parties concerned placed their settlement before the division bench.
The settlement came on the same day as the confrontation outside the mosque. The administration later proceeded with the removal work under tight security, with members of the local community participating in dismantling portions affected by the project.
The road expansion is among infrastructure works being undertaken across Ujjain for the 2028 gathering. Municipal authorities have said the programme includes widening routes used by pilgrims and improving movement through congested parts of the city.