NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court ’s firm stand against encroachments by religious institutions forced Haji Ali Dargah Trust on Thursday to agree to demolish illegal structures on 737 square metres of land abutting the access pathway to the shrine in Mumbai by May 8.Appreciating the promise to voluntarily demolish encroachments, a bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justices D Y Chandrachud and Sanjay Kishan Kaul agreed to exempt Kinara Mosque, over which the trust claimed to have lease since 1931, from the demolition drive. The Bombay HC had ordered demolition of encroachments on 908 sqm area, including the mosque standing on 171 sqm.On an appeal filed by the trust, senior advocates Gopal Subramaniam and Huzefa Ahmedi attempted to buy time by saying the trust would undertake demarcation of areas under encroachment and submit a plan of action to the apex court. The bench said, “The encroachments must go. People manning religious institutions must never support encroachment.”While taking a tough stand against encroachment, the bench adopted a persuasive approach. “Get the encroachments removed. We will make a beautiful approach road to the holy shrine. We know what a sacred place it is. But, at present, it is surrounded by filth and slush. The trust has to help in removing the encroachments,” the bench said.What forced the trust to volunteer demolition of encroachments without affecting Kinara Mosque was the SC’s ultimatum, “If the trust wants relief today, then it must remove encroachments. We will protect Kinara Mosque. Otherwise, we will not interfere with the high court order. Let authorities demolish the encroachments on the entire 908 square metres area.”This forced Subramaniam and Ahmedi to consult dargah trustee Usman Shakoor Vanjara, who was present in the court, during the lunch break and come out with a statement that Kinara Mosque area of 171 sqm would be demarcated and encroachments on the remaining 737 sqm would be demolished to the satisfaction of authorities. After recording the trust’s undertaking on voluntary demolition, the bench said no court other than the SC would deal with this issue. It posted the matter for further hearing on May 9.