Delhi HC reserves judgement on plea seeking suspension of Central Vista project

Central Vista Project: The central part of the 40 acre complex, has been built in a sunken plot as the design had to respect the heritage look of the India Gate's Central Vista, according to officials. (Image: Twitter/@PMOIndia)

The Delhi High Court on May 17 reserved its judgement on a plea seeking the suspension of the ongoing Central Vista project.

A Bench of Justices DN Patel and Jyoti Singh were hearing the plea seeking the Delhi High Court’s direction to suspend work on the Central government’s Central Vista project in view of the orders issued by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority to curb coronavirus spread.

Appearing on behalf of a petitioner seeking suspension of construction activity related to the project, senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, told the Delhi High Court that the Central Vista Avenue Redevelopment Project should be called the “Central fortress of death”.

Advocate Luthra told the court: “The Central Vista should no longer be called ‘Central Vista’, it should now be called the Central fortress of death”, reported the Bar and Bench.

Arguing on behalf of the petitioner, Adv Luthra pointed out that the court was moved to address concerns over the health and safety of workers at the project site.

He said, amid curfew and lockdown in Delhi during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, “suddenly we find very fascinating thing… a letter is written... ‘permission to continue construction activities... construction work to Shapoorji Pallonji... requested that Shapoorji Pallonji may be allowed to continue activity... in view of stringent timeline of work’.”

He then highlighted that the letter sought permission to ferry workers to the construction site as well, at a time only essential activities were being allowed in Delhi. Adv Luthra asked: “How was this work essential activity? This is an issue which needs to be considered.”

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta has opposed the plea stating that construction at the site has been going on for long, whereas the limited restriction on construction activities came into effect in Delhi on April 19, 2021. However, it was only applicable to construction projects where onsite workers were not residing.

Meanwhile, Senior Counsel Maninder Singh, appearing on behalf of builder Shapoorji Pallonji, said the petition is not bonafide and it is sensationalising by saying “this (Central Vista) has become Corona hub and People are dying.”

Singh added: “Once petitioner came to know the workers are staying on-site and not being transported, they would have withdrawn the petition, but they have not.”

The Centre has dubbed the plea “sheer abuse of the process of law and is one more attempt to stall the project” and has urged the High Court to dismiss the petition.