Delhi High Court on Monday noted that the ₹ 20,000 crore Central Vista Project is a “vital and essential national project”, and refused to stay the construction work of the project amid pandemic. The court has also imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on the petitioner.
“No question arises of suspending the construction work as the labourers are staying at the site,” the bench said.
The division bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh dismissed the plea challenging construction of the Central Vista Project amid a pandemic crisis. Considering that the PIL was motivated and not a genuine PIL, the court fined the petitioner Rs 1 lakh.
The court stressed that as per the contract given to Shapoorji Pallonji Group, the construction has to be completed by November 2021 so it should be allowed to continue.
The project has been brought under the ambit of essential services. The redevelopment project includes a new triangular parliament building, a common central secretariat, and revamping of the three-kilometre-long Rajpath from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate.
Amid the lockdown restrictions in Delhi, the construction work was permitted at construction sites where workers have been given on-site accommodation.
