HC seeks Delhi govt reply on PIL to remove BRT corridor debris

Delhi High Court on Thursday sought Delhi government's response on a plea seeking direction to remove all metal structures, dismantled from the BRT corridor here, and allegedly blocking the footpath on the stretch.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal also issued notice to the office of Lieutenant Governor (LG) on the plea seeking a direction to the authorities to grant requisite approval for construction of six half sub-merged subways along 5.8 km stretch between Moolchand and Ambedkar Nagar in South Delhi.

The bench has asked the AAP government and the office of the LG to file their responses by January 16, the next date of hearing.

The PIL, filed by NGO Fights for Human Rights, has alleged that metal structure of the dismantled BRT corridor lying there were blocking the footpath, due to which free movement of pedestrians vehicular traffic was affected.

"Large stretch of the footpath is blocked because of the metal structure and tiles which were dismantled and have been stored along the road," the plea claimed, adding "as a result, motor vehicles are not able to move freely and there is acute blockage of the road".

"Motorists and pedestrians are continously facing imminent danger to their precious lives. There are no boards to caution public and motorists to travel with care to avoid accidents," it claimed.

It alleged that the BRT corridor stretch, which came up in 2008, was decided to be dismantled because of its "defective design" and public works department (PWD) of Delhi government had begun the work in January this year.

The plea claimed that the dismantling work "was supposed to be completed by February end" and road was to be re-laid.

It alleged that "whole work was planned to be completed before monsoon but the whole project as planned has not achieved its purpose".

"Respondent number one (Delhi government) planned to construct six half sub-merged subways along the stretch for pedestrians. The project is now in the design state and it will take about two years to complete," the plea said.