Lucknow: The survey of the Gyanvapi complex in Varanasi by Archeological Survey of India (ASI) would continue for two more months.
On Friday the District Court of Varanasi extended the time limit for completing the survey of Gyanvapi complex for eight more weeks. The court has asked the ASI team to continue with the survey and submit a report to it after eight weeks.
ASI approached Court seeking more time
Earlier the court had directed ASI to complete a survey at Gyanvapi in four weeks and submit a report. The time limit of four weeks had ended on September 2 after which the ASI approached the court seeking more time. However, the Anjuman Intezamia Committee of Gyanvapi mosque had objected to the survey that was going on after September 2. The mosque committee had even stopped the ASI team from conducting a survey on Thursday saying that it was in violation of court orders. Meanwhile, on Friday, the court extended the time limit for eight more weeks.
Mosque committee wrote letter to stop survey on Sep 2
The mosque committee had written a letter to the District Magistrate of Varanasi requesting him to stop the survey after September 2. The committee had stated that since there is no court order now, the survey cannot be continued. The joint secretary of the committee, SM Yaseen said that no court had ordered for continuation of the survey that is why the ASI team was stopped.
It may be mentioned that a 29-member team from ASI was conducting a survey inside the Gyanvapi premises at the order of the District Court of Varanasi. Friday was the 35th day of the survey. The court had asked ASI to conduct a survey without causing any damage to the structure of the Gyanvapi mosque. The survey was allowed only with imaging, scanning and other machines. The ASI team included two experts from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur.
