The Delhi high court has said it won’t put up with unauthorised constructions in various heritage buildings in Chandni Chowk and recently directed video recording of inspection of properties in the area. HC’s direction came after the amicus curiea appointed by it alleged that the North Delhi Municipal Corporation failed to carry out proper inspection of properties in the area, a claim hotly contested by the lawyers for the civic body. The court directed that from now on, all inspections in the area would be filmed to remove any scope for claims and counter claims. The amicus had earlier alleged that the corporation was unwilling to carry out inspections as ordered by the court. The amicus, advocate Anil Aggarwal, also told the bench that inspection of many properties was not carried out as per the court orders as they were found to be locked even as the corporation maintained it had carried out inspections and also sealed and demolished illegal constructions. During the recent hearing, HC after going through all the reports filed in the matter, said it was ‘obvious’ that the corporation has not inspected the properties. “How can you inspect a locked property? What is happening (unauthorised constructions) in Chandni Chowk cannot be countenanced. This is reprehensible,” it said and directed that the inspections be video recorded and corporation would pay for it. It also said the corporation’s commissioner would have to go for the inspection, and said “it was high time they take their responsibility seriously”. The bench had then appointed a senior high court official to oversee the inspection to check the unauthorised construction in various heritage properties in old Delhi. These properties include the centuries old Haksar Haveli, where India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru got married to Kamala Nehru. HC was hearing a PIL filed by Kusum Sehgal seeking action against unauthorised construction at several properties in the area. In her plea, she mentioned 1,321 notified heritage properties where illegal constructions were being carried out. The court had earlier observed that unauthorised construction cannot be allowed to go on merely because of inaction by the authorities. On April 4, HC had stayed the ongoing construction in Haksar Haveli when it was told that the ‘haveli’ was on the verge of being destroyed by builders for their ‘financial lust’.