Plea in SC challenges Delhi HC order allowing Central Vista construction

New Delhi: A plea was filed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday challenging the Delhi High Court's verdict allowing the construction activity at the Central Vista area in the capital amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Adv Pradeep Kumar Yadav challenged the May 31 verdict of the High Court which had ruled that the Central Vista Project is an essential project of national importance and the public is vitally interested in the project.

"The High Court failed to appreciate that allowing a big construction work with a huge number of innocent laborers workers to continue during peak COVID-19 Pandemic period is a serious public health issue concern," the plea contended.

"High Court was not justified in holding that the Central Vista Avenue Redevelopment project is essential activities during the peak COVID-19 Pandemic crisis, especially when the whole country has stopped essential functioning during the lockdown period," Mr Yadav said in his plea.

On May 31, Delhi High Court dismissed a petition seeking suspension of the ongoing construction of the Central Vista Project in Delhi amid the Covid-19 pandemic terming it as a motivated petition preferred by the petitioner and not a genuine petition.

The plea had been dismissed with a cost of Rs 1,00,000 to the petitioner.

The central vista project, a 3.2-km stretch in the heart of Lutyens Delhi, involves demolishing and rebuilding several government buildings, including iconic landmarks, and constructing a new Parliament at a cost of around Rs 20,000 crore. (UNI)