Delhi’s Mughal-Era Village at Crossroads: NSG Plans Take on Residents’ Historic Fight

Hidden behind Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport lies Mehram Nagar, a historic village that predates modern Delhi. Founded during the Mughal era by Mehram Khan, a transgender nobleman under Emperor Jahangir, the village still retains narrow lanes and centuries-old ruins, including mosques and serais. Today, Mehram Nagar is at the centre of a land dispute between the National Security Guard (NSG) and nearly 10,000 residents who trace their heritage to the Mughal period.

Mehram Nagar Residents Fight to Protect Their Heritage

Residents of Mehram Nagar claim their lineage spans over 300 years, preserving Persian-language maps and documents that define the village’s original boundaries. According to Sonu Prajapati, a local heir to these records, the documents believed to be archived at Delhi’s Tis Hazari Court, prove the village existed long before Indira Gandhi International Airport. Mehram Nagar was relocated in 1965 after the original settlement was acquired for airport expansion.

Villagers contend the 1965 relocation was meant to be temporary, with promises of rehabilitation that were never fulfilled. Over generations, Mehram Nagar grew from about 200 residents to nearly 10,000 today. A weathered Mughal-style gateway near the airport still marks the village entrance, standing as a silent testament to its rich history.