New Delhi: A newly installed decorative fountain near the Lodhi Road red light towards Nizamuddin has been vandalised days after it was set up as part of a beautification initiative. Civic officials said an FIR was lodged and a police investigation was under way.The fountain, installed by MCD at a cost of Rs 1.5 lakh, is in front of the fixed compactor transfer station near Nizamuddin Basti. A civic official said the structure was damaged on the night of Feb 20.“A decorative fountain… was vandalised shortly after the conclusion of the AI summit,” he told TOI, adding that the project included the construction of boundary walls, pedestals and landscaping work at multiple locations.The installation was part of a larger beautification exercise at several prominent areas of the city such as Bharat Mandapam, Humayun Tomb and Lodhi Hotel, and included the construction of boundary walls, pedestals and landscaping. Civic officials said the fountain and surrounding grass plantation had improved the appearance of the site after it was installed.The damage, detected on the morning of Feb 21, was reported to Nizamuddin police station with a request to identify those responsible.Police have started an investigation. A suspect was reportedly questioned, officials said.Authorities condemned the act and stressed the need to safeguard public infrastructure created for urban improvement and beautification.Another senior official said: “Once the investigation is complete, we will repair the fountain as soon as possible. At present, we are not carrying out the repairs to avoid interfering with the ongoing investigation.”
