A 300-Year-Old Mughal Village In Delhi That Even The NSG Couldn't Vacate

Tucked away in the heart of the national capital lies a little-known settlement that predates modern Delhi by three centuries. Mehram Nagar, a village tracing its origins to the Mughal era, was founded around 300 years ago by Mahroom Khan, a eunuch who served as the custodian of the royal harem during the reign of Emperor Jahangir. Despite rapid urbanisation and repeated displacement, the village continues to exist, both physically and in name, near what is now the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. (News18 Hindi)

Mahroom Khan is remembered as the founder of Mehram Nagar, where structures attributed to him still stand. A caravanserai and a market built during his time can be seen in the area, offering rare architectural traces of Mughal civic life. The village today falls under heavy security surveillance, with the National Security Guard (NSG) maintaining a strict watch owing to its proximity to strategic installations. (News18 Hindi)

Sonu Prajapati, a resident whose family has lived in Mehram Nagar for 18 generations, said his family possesses original maps and documents related to the village, all written in Persian, the official language of the Mughal court. According to Prajapati, these documents were prepared by Mahroom Khan himself and have been preserved through generations by the same family of clerics that has managed a 300-year-old Mughal-era mosque in the village. (News18 Hindi)

Prajapati explained that during the Mughal period, the settlement stood on land that today forms part of the airport complex. In 1924, residents were first asked to vacate the area, and by 1965, the entire village was relocated closer to the airport. The land changed, but the history did not, he said, adding that this is why the settlement continues to be known as Mehram Nagar. At the time of its relocation, the village had a population of around 200. (News18 Hindi)

Today, Mehram Nagar is home to nearly 10,000 people, most of them descendants of families that have lived there since Mughal times. A large Mughal-era gate still stands near the airport, with its original wooden structure intact, an enduring reminder of the village’s past. The village recently found itself at the centre of a legal and emotional storm. Prajapati said that on September 30, 2025, several residents reportedly suffered heart attacks after an order was issued to vacate the entire village. The directive led to widespread protests, with villagers uniting to challenge the move in court. The matter eventually reached the Delhi High Court, which rejected the NSG's petition, granting relief to the residents. (News18 Hindi)