HC says Central Vista project essential, work to go on
Describing the Central Vista Avenue redevelopment, which entails construction activities on Rajpath and the surrounding lawns from the India Gate to the Rashtrapati Bhawan, as a “vital and essential” project of national importance, the Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed the plea against it saying it was motivated and filed with ill-intent and lack of bonafides”.
While allowing the construction activity to continue, a bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh imposed cost of Rs one lakh on the petitioners who wanted the work to be halted in view of the pandemic, observing that it was not a genuine public interest litigation.
The Court said it disagreed with the petitioners’s claim that the project was not an essential activity and therefore, should be halted during the prevailing pandemic. 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.” The Court said the legality of the project was already upheld by the Supreme Court and even the Delhi Disaster Management Authority allowed it to continue. The main project envisages building a new Parliament, a new residential complex to house offices , including the Prime Minister.
Heritage, iconic and cultural buildings will remain as they are, and none of these buildings will be touched during construction work under the Central Vista project in the national capital, Union Housing and Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said.
Addressing the media here following the Delhi High Court’s verdict on a plea, the minister said that two projects are under implementation: the new Parliament building and Central Vista avenue. “None of the historic, iconic and cultural buildings will be touched,” Puri said, adding “a decision on these projects was taken before the pandemic.”
The total cost of the project is estimated around Rs 1,300 crore, he said. Puri made the announcement after the Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking to halt construction work at Central Vista Avenue, which includes both sides of Rajpath where Republic Day celebration are held. The court observed that the plea was a motivated petition and the project was of national importance. The Central Vista project envisages constructing a new Parliament House, a new residential complex that will house the Prime Minister and the Vice President, as well as several new office buildings and a central secretariat to accommodate ministry offices.
The new Parliament complex and buildings that are being built as part of the Central Vista redevelopment project will have parking for at least 16,000 cars, and while that may mean a likely increase in traffic volume in the area, enough mitigation measures will be put in place to ensure there is no congestion or impact on traffic movement.
The total cost of project is estimated to be Rs 1,300 cr, says Urban Development Minister HS Puri