While the mosque’s authorities have approached various stakeholders, including Aam Aadmi Party MLAs and minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi as well as Waqf board members, there has not been any major intervention, they say.

To be sure, the mosque is under the ownership of the Waqf board and is not protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). However, mosque authorities say the Waqf board continues to respond in a piecemeal manner to the damage.

Mufti Mukarram Ahmed, the shahi imam of Fatehpuri Masjid, said that while the Waqf board had repaired the ablution centre in the past few months and plastered certain areas, structural repairs and conservation efforts were required to preserve the facade and other portions. “The Waqf board has repaired the ablution centre (wazu khana). Earlier, it was in very bad shape. They have also plastered some areas that needed intervention. But the area covered by the Waqf for repairs is only a fraction of the total work. The gates of the mosques and the minarets need repairs. The foundations of the pillars have weakened over time,” said Ahmed.

He recalled that the area’s parliamentarian Kapil Sibal had sanctioned ₹6 crore for the mosque’s conservation in 2010.The ASI had been tasked with the conservation and work began in 2012. However, the work came to a halt in 2013-2014. “We don’t know the reason but work was stopped. The scale of the conservation and repair work that needs to be undertaken at the mosque is huge,” said Ahmed.

When contacted, an ASI spokesperson said the matter was from several years ago, and the information was not immediately available.

​Various portions and rooms of the mosque complex have also been cordoned off due to the precarious condition of the ceilings and the pillars. As a result, many of these rooms are no longer being used by occupants of the mosque.

Mohd Shaan, 14, a student who studies at the mosque’s madrasa, said that the lack of repair often hindered the functioning of the mosque.

“The layer of paint lining the ceiling of the mosque keeps falling on devotees as they offer prayers or on our books as we read,” said Shaan. A native of Bihar, Shaan has been studying and staying at the mosque for the past six years.

Mohammad Ashfaq, 55, a resident of Lal Kuan, who has been visiting the mosque for the past several years, said that mosque was historic and deserved better treatment. “If one surveys the whole mosque, one will be able to gauge the extent of repairs required. There is always a fear that some portion might collapse,” said Ashfaq.

Mehfooz Mohammad, section officer, Waqf board, said that the board was committed towards the mosque’s betterment. “We repaired the ablution centre and the hostel at the premises. Recently, we have also started work on the terrace of the mosque. We agree that the mosque needs conservation support. While we have limited capacity, we will try our best to address the concerns,” said Mohammad.

Historians contend that the revamp of Chandni Chowk should be aligned with holistic heritage conservation that necessitated sprucing of the mosque at the corner of the revamped stretch.