Severe waterlogging alongside Shaheen Bagh Qabristan has emerged as a serious concern for local residents and caretakers, with continuous overflow and poor drainage causing significant damage to the graveyard’s boundary wall. Despite repeated assurances from the local MLA and councillor, the problem has remained unresolved for more than two and a half months, heightening fears of structural collapse and public safety risks.
Mufti A.A. Raziq and Qari Mohammad Sadiq, associated with the management of the Qabristan, said persistent water accumulation has weakened the boundary wall and resulted in financial loss to the burial ground. They stated that the issue has been repeatedly raised with MLA Amanatullah Khan and Councillor Areeba Khan. According to them, the MLA recently assured that within two to four days the water flow would be diverted by removing the existing pipe and rerouting it through a pipeline already laid. However, no visible improvement has been seen, and water continues to stagnate near the wall.
The graveyard holds deep historical and emotional significance for the local community. Mufti Raziq and Qari Sadiq noted that the Qabristan was established through the efforts of Maulana Arshad Madani and approved during the tenure of Akhilesh Yadav. They stressed that safeguarding the burial ground is not merely an infrastructure issue but one of dignity and respect for the deceased.
Social activist Mohammad Nayyar, secretary of Ishaat-e-Islam Trust and Madhur Sandesh Sangam, said the waterlogging is part of a larger dispute involving drainage and a damaged bridge in the area. He alleged that repair work on the bridge was halted following intervention by the irrigation department and police, leaving it broken. Water flowing from the Jasola side has since blocked the canal, worsening overflow near the Qabristan.
Nayyar added that public suffering has increased, with frequent traffic jams, accidents, and disruptions to funeral processions. Fridays are particularly hazardous, with vehicles overturning on slippery, waterlogged roads. Residents allege that only superficial measures have been taken so far, while concrete solutions remain absent.
Community members are now demanding immediate intervention, warning that further delay could lead to the collapse of the graveyard wall and pose serious safety hazards, highlighting the consequences of prolonged administrative inaction.