Image Credit: thewire.in
In a significant relief for the Modi government, the Delhi High Court on Monday refused to put a stay on the Central Vista project. The court also labelled the petition as “motivated” and ordered a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the petitioner.
A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh was hearing the petition filed against the Central Vista project. Giving out its judgement, the high court called Central Vista an “essential project of national importance” and said that the project cannot be looked at in isolation. The petitioner had requested the court to put a hold on the construction work of the project in view of the Covid-19 situation. However, the court dismissed the argument of the pandemic citing that workers for the redevelopment project were living ‘on site’. The court, in its verdict also said that District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) order on restrictions due to Coronavirus doesn’t prohibit construction work.
The judges also recalled that the Supreme Court has already upheld the legality of the Central vista project. The judgement highlighted that “time is of essence in the contract. The work has to be completed.”
Calling the petition a motivated one, the court dismissed the case with a Rs1 lakh fine to be imposed on the petitioner.
The Central Vista Redevelopment project is a pet project of the Narendra Modi government which aims to redevelop the Central Vista area near Raisini Hill in New Delhi. The project work includes building a new, larger Parliament for the country, a new Residential complex for the Prime Minister & Vice President and a Central Secretariat.