SC to hear pleas on Central Vista project on July 17

Team Udayavani, Jul 14, 2020, 1:03 PM IST

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday said it would hear on July 17 the pleas which have raised issues regarding the Central Vista project, covering three-km stretch from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate in Lutyens” Delhi.
A bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar was hearing the pleas, including the one filed against the Delhi High Court order which said Delhi Development Authority (DDA) was not required to apprise it before notifying changes in the Master Plan to allow the Central Vista project.

The apex court had said on June 19 that any change at the ground level made by authorities for the central government project would be “at their own risk”.

The top court had made it clear that fate of the project, which includes several new government buildings and a new Parliament House, would depend on its decision.

The court was earlier told that two notifications have been issued – one regarding land use change and the other giving environmental clearance to the project.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, had told the top court that no norms have been violated in granting the requisite approval for the project.

The division bench of the Delhi High Court had on February 28 stayed an order of its single judge bench which had asked the DDA to approach the court before notifying any change in the Master Plan for going forth with the Centre”s ambitious project to redevelop the Central Vista.

The high court’s stay order on the single judge bench”s February 11 direction had come on the intra-court appeal of the DDA and the Centre.

The two petitioners before the high court had opposed the Central Vista project on the ground that it involves a change in land use of the green area adjoining Rajpath and Vijay Chowk for building a new Parliament and government offices.

Gujarat-based architecture firm HCP Designs has won the consultancy bid for the Centre”s ambitious project to redevelop the Central Vista.

The revamp, which was announced in September last year, envisages a new triangular Parliament building, with seating capacity for 900 to 1,200 MPs, that is targeted to be constructed by August, 2022 when the country will be celebrating its 75th Independence Day.

The common Central Secretariat is likely to be built by 2024.