Hotel Raj Mahal Palace case:Court orders JDA to restore status

quo Jaipur, Sep 6 (PTI) A local court today directed theJaipur Development Authority to restore status quo by openingthe seal and reconstructing the structure it had demolishedduring its drive of sealing the gates of Hotel Raj MahalPalace, owned by the former royal family of Jaipur. The JDA had on August 24 sealed the gates of the hotel,saying these are located on government land. However, thegates were re-opened temporarily by JDA on Sunday on therecommendation of a ministerial committee on the family’srequest. Additional District Judge Kailash Mishra gave orders toopen the seal and reconstruct the structure within one monthon the application filed by the family, counsel for the familyRamesh Sharma said. He also ordered JDA to reconstruct the structure itdemolished during its action. During the action, a heated argument between JDACommissioner Shikhar Agrawal and BJP MLA Diya Kumari, memberof the former royal family, had also broken out. The family, led by former Rajmata Padmini Devi and herdaughter Kumari, had taken out a rally against JDA and laterrequested Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje to revoke the actionby the development authority. After a meeting with Padmini Devi on Saturday, Rajeconstituted a committee of ministers which recommendedre-opening of the gates temporarily till alternativearrangements for entry were made following which JDA openedthe gates on Sunday morning. PTI SDA AAR ZMNAAR