Breaking: [COVID19] Delhi High Court Agrees To Hear Tomorrow The Plea To Suspend Construction Of Central Vista Project

Pursuant to the Supreme Court's direction to approach the High Court for an early hearing of petition seeking temporary suspension of the Central Vista Project in light of Covid-19, the Delhi High Court today directed the petitioner to file a fresh application in the matter tomorrow and agreed to hear the same.

The petition was mentioned by Sr. Adv. Sidharth Luthra.

The petition is seeking suspension of all kinds of construction activity in relation to the Central Vista Redevelopment Project in compliance of the orders issued by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority in wake of the covid 19 surge in the national capital.

Moved by Anya Malhotra and Sohail Hashmi, it highlights that the construction of the aforesaid project has a "super spreading potential and threat" to the workers who are being exposed to the infection on a daily basis while working and that too without payment.

Calling it "relentless, unmindful and reckless act" of the Union of India and Central Public Works Department, the plea states that such an act of carrying on the Project posing threat to the lives of the citizens of Delhi has "the potential of being a super spreader and is in clear breach and violation of the Orders passed by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority."

"The construction of the Project cannot be equated to an essential activity. There is no exigency whatsoever in the construction of the Project and there is no reason why the same cannot be suspended at a time when Delhi is facing an unprecedented health crisis. There is no rational basis to differentiate between workers engaged in the construction of the Project and workers engaged in any other construction work. It cannot be stated that the construction work being carried out as a part of the Project is any more essential than the construction of other public services," the plea further states.