Sambhal civic body issues notice to remove illegal construction blocking excavation of Rani Ki Bawdi

Sambhal (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 11 (ANI): Municipality authorities in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district have issued a notice to the owner of a house in Laxman Ganj, Chandausi, asking him to remove an illegal structure obstructing ongoing excavation work at the site where the historic Rani ki Bawdi (stepwell) was found.
Executive Officer of Chandausi, Krishna Kumar Sonkar, said that the house owner has been issued a notice with the instruction to remove the portion of his house coming in the way of the area identified for excavation.
He added that other encroachments in the vicinity would also be identified, and owners would be instructed to remove them. If they fail to comply, the administration will proceed with demolition.
"A notice has been issued to the house owners asking him to remove the encroachment hindering excavation. The house owner requested relief from the District Magistrate (DM), citing financial hardship. The DM explained that only the encroaching portion of the house needs to be removed, not the entire structure," said Sonkar.
"We have been directed by the DM to place a tin sheet over the stepwell to protect it from rain," he said, adding that other encroachments in the area will be also identified and notices will be issued accordingly.
The stepwell, approximately 150 years old was unearthed during excavation. Later excavation under the supervision of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officials and with manual tools to avoid damage to the structure began on December 21.
Earlier, District Magistrate Dr Rajinder Pensiya said that efforts are underway to reopen wells and CCTV cameras are being installed to enhance security in Sambhal.
"19 wells and 68 sacred places, a total of 87, are known as Dev Tirtha... many of the wells are being reopened as natural resources of water conservation by removing encroachment," Pensiya told ANI.
On December 25, to restore wells and pilgrimage sites in Sambhal and reconnect the local community with their religious traditions, a team from the ASI and local administration visited several historic locations.
The ASI inspected ancient structures, including Ferozpur Fort, stepwells, and Chor Kuan. The ASI visited ancient structures such as Ferozpur Fort, bawdis (stepwells), and Chor Kuan among others.
DM Pensiya who was part of the team said, "We visited the Ferozpur Fort, which is ASI-protected. We were accompanied by the ASI team. After that, we visited a koop (well) under the Neemsar pilgrimage site, which is the only koop that still has water in it. We also visited the Rajput bawdis (open wells)."
This initiative was prompted by the rediscovery of a temple during an anti-encroachment campaign led by the district police and administration on December 14. The Shiv-Hanuman temple, which had been closed since 1978, was reopened on December 22. During the excavation work in the Ladam Sarai area of Sambhal, an old well was also discovered by the local administration. (ANI)