New Delhi, May 5 -- The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Delhi Police to secure all protected monuments and heritage sites in the capital from encroachment and vandalism, underlining the urgent need to preserve these structures. Acting on a report filed by conservationist and historian Swapna Liddle, which flagged these urgent concerns, a bench of justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and N Kotiswar Singh directed the police to act, holding the police commissioner personally liable for ensuring compliance with its orders. The court said, "We direct the commissioner of police, Delhi, to instruct all local station house officers (SHOs) of areas either protected or falling under category of heritage or places of historical importance to be protected from encroachment or threat of vandalism." The court was hearing a petition filed by Delhi resident Rajeev Suri, seeking protection of the Gumti of Shaikh Ali in Defence Colony. Subsequently, on his application, the court expanded the scope of the plea to examine the preservation status of all heritage structures in Delhi under the supervision of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Delhi government's archaeology department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). On Monday, the court examined Liddle's report, which included photographs showing structures coming up within the 100-metre prohibited area of protected monuments in Mehrauli. She also cited instances of vandalism at several sites. "We intend to do something urgently to preserve these sites and structures," the court said, adding, "If we find our order is not complied with, the commissioner of police, Delhi, and the concerned deputy commissioner of police shall be personally liable." Liddle also flagged the need for the Delhi government to notify several structures being conserved by its archaeology department as "protected monuments". Senior advocate Shikhil Suri, appearing for the petitioner, said, "There are 48 monuments in Delhi which have to be notified as protected by the Delhi government but have not been done since 2015." Her report cited the example of the 1397 monument 'Tarbooze ka Gumbad', currently located within a school in south Delhi. It also flagged three Mughal-era structures at the Delhi Golf Club that are in a dilapidated state. Posting the matter for May 11, the court directed the NDMC chairperson to be present and explain why supervision and maintenance of the three Mughal-era structures at the Delhi Golf Club (DGC) had not been ensured....