DELHI HC SAYS CENTRAL VISTA PROJECT ESSENTIAL, IMPOSES FINE ON PETITIONERS

The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking to halt construction work at Central Vista Avenue in the national capital in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Delhi High Court in its order said: “The project in question is of vital importance and essential and has a direct nexus with the main project, namely, the Central Vista Project.”

The court stated that once the workers were staying at the site and all facilities had been provided and the Covid-19 protocols were being adhered to, there was no reason for it to exercise powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to stop the project.

The court further observed that a project of national importance cannot be stopped, especially when the conditions imposed by the order of the DDMA dated 19 April, are not flouted or violated.  “By no stretch of imagination, it can be said that the Central Vista Project (which is the main project) or Central Vista Avenue Redevelopment Project is not an essential project.”

“The Central Vista Avenue Redevelopment Project, which is a sub-set of the main project, is equally important and essential as the main project. If this type of project is stopped by the court, the main project cannot be completed within the stipulated time,” the court said.

The court further said: “We are of the view that this is a motivated petition preferred by the petitioners and not a genuine public interest litigation. In view of the aforesaid, present petition is hereby dismissed with costs of Rs 1 lakh only to be deposited by the petitioners with the Delhi State Legal Services Authority within four weeks from today.”