NGT notice to govt, DDA on Millennium Bus Depot

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal on Tuesday sought responses from the AAP government and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on a plea filed by an environment activist seeking shifting of Millennium Bus Depot as it is located on Yamuna flood plains.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued notices to the city government, DDA and Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) seeking their replies before July 24, the next date of hearing.

Advocate Kush Sharma accepted the notice on behalf of the DDA after plea by activist Anand Arya came before the green panel.

The matter was transferred to the green panel by the Supreme Court in April on the grounds that there cannot be "parallel proceedings" on the same issue.

The 50-acre depot was built on the river bank initially as a temporary depot during the 2010 Commonwealth Games, with a parking space for around 1,000 buses along with various facilities, including five workshop-cum-scanning centres, a logistics centre and two Cng-filling stations.

The apex court had last year said that ordering the demolition of the bus depot would not be appropriate and had granted one year to the Delhi government and DTC to get the 2021 Master Plan amended, failing which it would have to shift the bus shelter from the Yamuna river banks.

The apex court had said an opportunity was given by the Delhi High Court to the Delhi government and DTC in October 2015 to have the Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) 2021 amended, if it was permissible in law, within six months.