The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to put a stay on the ongoing construction work for the Central Vista redeveploment project. A Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh dismissed a petition seeking the temporary suspension of construction work in view of Covid-19 pandemic and imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on the petitioner calling the plea “motivated” and “not a genuine PIL”
The Court said the work at Central Vista Avenue is part and parcel of the work at Central Vista Project and of vital public importance.
The Court said that the government had already stated that the workers were “staying on site” and all arrangements had been made to ensure Covid-19 appropriate. , “As the workers are staying on site, no question of suspending the construction work arises in light of Covid-19.”
As per the contract given to the Shapoorji Pallonji Group, the construction has to be completed by November so it should to be allowed to continue, the court stressed.
Seeking a stay on the ongoing project, the petitioners Anya Malhotra, a translator, and Sohail Hashmi, historian and documentary filmmaker, had stated that they are concerned by the “super spreading potential and threat” posed by the continuing construction at the project site and the plight of the workers who are being exposed to the infection on a daily basis.
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Centre opposed the plea and termed it as “one more attempt” to stall the project. The government argued that the construction activities currently ongoing in and around Rajpath and India Gate do not pertain to the new Parliament building or new offices for the Central government. It also contended that the DDMA on April 19 has permitted construction activities during curfew where labourers are residing on-site.
