Supreme Court refuses stay on Central Vista project yet again

NEWDELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday declined stay on the redevelopment of Lutyen’s Delhi’s Central Vista for the second time in two months stating that it cannot prevent government authorities from acting as per law.

The bench headed by justice AM Khanwilkar, however, made it clear on Friday that any work done on the project will be subject to the orders passed by the court in future.

The bench clarified this after the Centre, through its second senior-most law officer solicitor general Tushar Mehta, told the top court that it cannot give any assurance that “no work on the ground” will be done.

The case was adjourned for July 7 after the central government requested additional time to file its response.

The Supreme Court had earlier refused to stay the project when the matter had come up for hearing on April 30.

The Central Vista houses iconic buildings like the Parliament House, Rashtrapati Bhavan, the North and South Block buildings, which house important ministries, and the India Gate. The government is proposing to redevelop the Central Vista by constructing a new Parliament house, a residential complex that will house the Prime Minister and the Vice President, besides several new office buildings.

The petitioners, advocate Rajeev Suri and retired Lt. Colonel Anuj Srivastava sought a direction from the court that no further work should take place on the ground (construction work) in furtherance of the project even if approvals are granted. The bench declined to grant such relief.

GOVT IS PROPOSING TO REDEVELOP THE CENTRAL VISTA BY CONSTRUCTING A NEW PARLIAMENT HOUSE, A RESIDENTIAL COMPLEX TO HOUSE THE PM AND THE VICE-PRESIDENT, BESIDES NEW OFFICES