'Gave Them Chunks On A Platter': Supreme Court Questions Aga Khan Trust's Role At Sunder Nursery

Last Updated:July 23, 2026, 10:15 IST

Referring to reports of restaurants and paid public access within the park, the judges questioned whether a publicly owned heritage space was being used for commercial purposes

The Supreme Court on Thursday raised serious concerns over the management of Delhi’s iconic Sunder Nursery, questioning why the government had handed over “chunks" of the public heritage space to the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and expressing displeasure over what it described as its commercial use.

The remarks came during the hearing of a case concerning the preservation of heritage monuments inside the Delhi Golf Club, where the court was examining whether protected monuments were being adequately conserved amid competing commercial and recreational interests.

While noting that the Delhi Golf Club had taken tangible steps to safeguard monuments within its premises, including restricting public access and creating protective perimeters around heritage structures, the bench said it was “not very satisfied" with the conservation work being undertaken by the Aga Khan Trust at some monuments under its care.

The court then shifted its focus to Sunder Nursery, a 90-acre heritage park adjoining Humayun’s Tomb that is managed by the Aga Khan Trust in partnership with government agencies.

Questioning both the arrangement and its implementation, the bench wondered why the government had effectively ceded large portions of a public nursery to the trust. “Government has given them chunks of the nursery on a platter," the bench observed, adding that the trust had been “enjoying" the space for years.

Referring to reports of restaurants and paid public access within the park, the judges questioned whether a publicly owned heritage space was being used for commercial purposes. “You cut 70-80 acres out of a government nursery and give it to them, where they are running heavy restaurants… Government has given it to them on a platter. For so many years they are enjoying this," the bench orally remarked.

Indicating that the issue was far from closed, the court said it would examine the arrangement in greater detail in subsequent hearings. “We will take note of this. We will blacklist Aga Khan Trust from India. Do they think they have a right to do anything? They think they are sacrosanct?" the bench said, in one of its sharpest observations during the hearing.

The court’s remarks suggest that its concerns go beyond the physical conservation of monuments. The judges appeared to question whether public heritage assets entrusted to private organisations are being managed in a manner consistent with their original purpose, and whether commercial activities are overshadowing conservation and public interest.

The observations came in the broader context of the Supreme Court’s emphasis that heritage preservation cannot be reduced to merely restoring monuments. The bench stressed the need to ensure that historic sites remain protected from commercial exploitation and continue to serve the public interest, signalling that it may closely scrutinise public-private conservation arrangements in future hearings.

While no directions were passed against the Aga Khan Trust on Thursday, the court’s observations indicate that the management model of Sunder Nursery, and similar heritage conservation partnerships, could now come under judicial scrutiny.

About the Author

News Desk

The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ...Read More

News cities new-delhi-news 'Gave Them Chunks On A Platter': Supreme Court Questions Aga Khan Trust's Role At Sunder Nursery

Read More