The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed, with costs of ₹1,00,000, a public interest litigation seeking suspension of work on the Central Vista re-development project.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh said the petitioners’ argument that the project causes danger to construction workers in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic surge does not hold. The government, they said, had submitted that the workers were staying on site and all arrangements had been made to ensure Covid-appropriate behaviour. There is no cause, thus, said the Court to stay the construction. The Bench termed the petition “motivated” and not in “genuine” public interest.
“The Delhi Disaster Management Authority order nowhere prohibits construction work. The legality of the project has been upheld by the Supreme Court. They are supposed to complete work by November 2021. Time is of essence in the contract,” said the Court.
The petitioners had approached the Delhi High Court following the Supreme Court’s direction for an early hearing of a petition seeking a halt to the project, arguing that the Covid surge was endangering the lives of the workers.
Also read: Trees of Delhi: Falling to the vista
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