The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the response of the Centre and the Delhi Government in a petition filed against the installation of mobile police barricades on Delhi Roads and in colonies in utter violation of its own guidelines contained in the standing order.
The division bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh issued notice in the petition seeking:
• Directions to the Delhi Government to strictly comply with the guidelines contained in the Standing Order No. 329 of 2018 of Delhi Police in letter and spirit.
• To set up an area wise committee, including members of the civil society, to survey, supervise and assess the locality for installation of mobile police barricades and submit its report fortnightly to the concerned DCP.
• To fix liability on the erring officials of the Delhi Police who is/was responsible for unmindful and erratic installation of mobile barricades resulting into loss of life, limb and property.
The court noted, “It is admitted by the respondents that the barricades in question were not manned there was no police officer posted with the barricades. Photographs filed by the petitioner’s further show that the area where the barricade had been placed was not properly illuminated and, in any case, the same did not have proper blinkers or other warning signs for the motorcyclists. Clearly, the chains tying these barricades together could under no circumstances be visible to a motorist from far.”
The petition filed by Jan Sewa Welfare Society avers the mismanagement and unprofessional attitude of Delhi Police in installation of iron barricades on several roads all over Delhi causes grave hardship and inconvenience to the safety, security and welfare of the public.
The petition has brought the courts attention to the negligence on the part of the Delhi Policein installing and maintaining barricades on Delhi road in W.P.(C) titled as “Dheeraj Kumar & Anr. versus Union of India and Ors.” wherein this Hon’ble Court has noted in its order dated 18.05.2020 that placing of mobile barricades on the road by Delhi Police also casts a duty on them to ensure that they (barricades) do not cause accidents due to their non- maintenance.
The Petitioner Society has made several representations to Delhi Police without receiving a proper reply.
According to the petition, mobile barricades are being used in a haphazard manner, and stolen, and a few displaying names of Police Station are found in the jurisdiction of another police station, furthermore, a number of barricades, sometimes, also display the names of private sponsors and some often are ill maintained and not properly painted and mobile barricades are being left unmanned on roads which cause traffic problems apart from projecting a poor image of the police.