The Supreme Court on Friday has refused to stay the Central Vista Project of Central Government.
The Court has clarified that all the proceedings regarding the Central Vista Development Project will be considered consolidatedly. The Court also allowed the petitioner’s request to amend their application.
A three-judge Bench of Bench of Justices Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjeev Khanna observed this while hearing a plea filed by Environmentalist Rajeev Suri seeking stay on the Central Vista Project pertaining to construction of a new parliamentary building and other Government buildings in Lutyens Delhi.
During the hearing today, Advocate Shikhil Suri appearing for the petitioner stated that the authorities are churning our approvals for effectuating construction despite pending applications. The environmental clearance committee passed some order yesterday. This matter can be taken up later but SG must assure no further action will be taken.
Senior Advocate Sanjay Hegde submitted that there is a series of various administrative clearances that are going on. He prayed for no change of ground situation even though there is paperwork, while stating that since different clearances may have separate causes of actions, they will be challenged through separate petitions.
On request the Court allowed Solicitor General Mehta to file a consolidated reply in the leading case by July 3.
The Court will hear all the connected matters on July 7.
The Supreme Court on April 30th this year had denied to stay the Government’s Central Vista Project in the National Capital stating that it will not be put on hold for now. A bench led by the Chief Justice SA Bobde had refused to stay the project after hearing a petition filed by Rajeev Suri seeking directions to nullify the central government’s order for change in Land Use regarding the redevelopment plan.
According to Petitioner Rajeev Suri, it was a brash move to start a project covering 86 acres in the Lutyens zone, since people will also suffer from enjoying open and green spaces under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The Chief Justice had stated that “A similar petition against the project is pending in court. During COVID-19 situation, nobody is going to do anything and there is no urgency.”
The Central Vista Project is in the area between India Gate and the Rashtrapati Bhawan and will finish by 2022, a new parliament building.
Read the order here;
8430-2020-33-1-22647-Order-19-Jun-2020-India Legal Bureau