The Delhi excessive court docket on Wednesday took robust exception to the Delhi authorities’s Public Works Division (PWD) for unilaterally constituting a high-level committee to take care of Chandni Chowk, observing that the transfer was in contravention of the court docket’s earlier directive which had solely sought solutions for such a panel.
The HC requested how the PWD issued the order dated March 26 constituting the committee, though the court docket had not authorised it. (HT Archive)
A bench of chief justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela requested the Delhi authorities’s counsel to hunt directions on how the PWD issued the order dated March 26 constituting the committee, though the court docket had not authorised it.
“We are astonished to note such an order being passed by the government, that too with the approval of the higher authorities in the government,” the court docket stated in its order. It famous that whereas the March 26 order acknowledged the court docket’s observations from paragraph 12 of its February 18 directive, it “completely ignores” paragraph 13, which had made it clear that the respondents had been solely required to offer solutions and never represent the committee themselves.
“We request Mr Sameer Vashisht, learned standing counsel for the government, to seek instructions as to how the order dated 26.03.2025 has been passed, which appears to be in contravention of the order of the Court, dated 18.02.2025,” the bench added.
The problem arose from a petition filed by the Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal, which sought speedy steps by metropolis authorities to take away harm, deficiencies, and unlawful actions in and across the Chandni Chowk Redevelopment Venture — from Subhash Marg (Lal Quila Street) as much as Fatehpuri Masjid, together with areas close to the Chandni Chowk Metro station.
The petitioner argued that there was an entire lack of coordination among the many authorities, resulting in mismanagement and undermining the over ₹140 crore already spent on the venture. The plea additionally highlighted the inconvenience being brought about to the general public because of the alleged neglect.
On February 18, the excessive court docket had indicated its intent to represent a committee comprising senior officers from varied businesses, together with the PWD, MCD, and Delhi Police. The court docket had remarked that Chandni Chowk was not only a business hub but additionally of “historical importance”, attracting lakhs of vacationers from all over the world.
The matter is scheduled to be heard subsequent on Thursday.