The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed with a cost of Rs 1 lakh, a petition, seeking a halt on the ongoing Central Vista construction in the capital, in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and also claiming that this was not an ‘essential’ service, as declared by the Central government.
The division bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh said that the Central Vista project is of national importance.
The Court further said that since workers are staying at the worksite, there would be no spread of novel coronavirus, as all the precautions have been taken up by the Centre and it cannot halt the construction under the DDMA order of April 19.
Earlier on May 17, the same bench had reserved its verdict on the petition. Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra had said: “When the plea was moved, concerns were raised about the health and safety of the workers at the site and of the people in Delhi.”
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He referred to the data on Covid positivity rate and deaths at the time when the court was moved, on May 4.
“Is it too much for citizens to see misery and death, to come to a constitutional court and seek protection for life?” he had added.