P&H HC Issues Directions Against Misuse Of Cycle-Tracks/ Pedestrian Paths In Chandigarh [Read Order]

The bench of Acting Chief Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Amol Rattan Singh directed the Chandigarh Administration to:

1. Repair all the pedestrian paths/ cycle tracks within six months;
2. Put yellow box marking on the lead upto slip roads within three months and ensure forthwith that two-wheelers don't ply thereon, by putting up sign boards in this regard at the beginning and end of the paths;
3. Prepare Dock Station under Public Bicycle System to save the environment and ecology;
4. Install High Definition (HD) cameras at the traffic lights and all vulnerable points to be identified by the Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic & Security) within three months. In this regard, the court also noted that the administration had sufficient funds to comply with this direction as Chandigarh is covered under the "Smart City Project";
5. Ensure that no vehicle is parked on these tracks. The bench said that the Senior Superintendent of Police shall be personally responsible for violation of this direction.

Directions were further made to the Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic & Security) to:

1. Ensure that no auto rickshaw plies in the city without meter after three weeks;
2. Strictly enforce Section 194-E of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 which prescribes penalty for failure to allow free passage to emergency vehicles.

Compliance affidavits in this regard will be filed by the Secretary Transport, Chandigarh Administration (Nodal Officer) and the Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic & Security) by the next date of hearing, i.e., January 17, 2020.

The directions were issued in the presence of Amicus Curiae, Balwinder Sangwan; Assistant Advocate General of Punjab, Lavanya Paul; Deputy Advocate General of Haryana, Vivek Saini; Assistant Solicitor General of India, Chetan Mittal, Advocate for Centre, Varun Issar; Advocate for Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh, Deepali Puri; Public Prosecutor R. S. Rai with Additional Public Prosecutor, Gautam Dutt and Senior Standing Counsel, Pankaj Jain with Additional Standing Counsel, Parminder Singh Kanwar.

Click here to download the Order