Despite the fact that Modi Government received a lot ofcriticism for its Central Vista Project, the Delhi High Court on Monday junkedthe plea against the project and gave a green chit to go ahead with the ongoingconstruction activities.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D.N. Patel and JusticeJyoti Singh said: "It is an essential project of national importance.Public is vitally interested in the project."
Besides, the court also imposed Rs 1 lakh cost on thepetitioners, observing that the petition is not genuine public interestlitigation but a "motivated" one.
The court noted that the construction has to be completedon time. "Once workers are staying at site and all facilities are providedand COVID-19 behaviour is adhered to, there is no reason to stop theproject", said the court.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre,had alleged that the plea was a "facade" to stall the work. ShapoorjiPallonji and Company Pvt Ltd, which has been awarded tender, also opposed thePIL, stating that it lacks bona fide, and the construction firm was taking careof its workforce.
Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, representing thepetitioners, had submitted that the petitioners were only interested in thesafety of the workers at the site and compared the project to"Auschwitz", a German concentration camp during World War II.
The petitioners, Anya Malhotra and Sohail Hashmi, hadsought a stay on the construction activities of Central Vista in the backdropof COVID-19 situation in the capital and the threat posed by the constructionactivities as a potential super spreader.
The Supreme Court on January 5, had already given thegreen signal to the project, as it declined to entertain petitions allegingviolation of land use and environmental norms for the project.