No construction till order on opposing pleas: SC on Central Vista Project

The SC allowed the govt to go ahead with the foundation stone laying ceremony after the govt assured it that no construction will take place till the apex court makes a decision

The Supreme Court on Monday expressed displeasure over the way the Centre is "aggressively" going ahead with the construction work of the Central Vista and directed that no construction, demolition or felling of trees shall take place for the project.

A bench of the apex court, headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar, observed that the Central government may lay down the foundation stone for the project but it cannot go ahead with construction work of the project.

The bench was hearing a batch of petitions challenging the Rs 20,000 crores project for the redevelopment of the Central Vista in the national capital, which made certain allegations of violations in the project.

No construction, demolition or felling of trees shall take place for the Central Vista project, the bench said.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar that there would be only foundation stone laying ceremony for the project and no construction would commence as of now.

The revamp project, which was announced in September last year, envisages a new triangular Parliament building, with a seating capacity for 900 to 1,200 MPs, and the target is to construct it by August 2022 when the country will be celebrating its 75th Independence Day.

The common Central Secretariat is likely to be built by 2024 as part of the project.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone on December 10 for the new Parliament building and the construction is expected to be completed by 2022 at an estimated cost of Rs 971 crore, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had said on December 5.

The top court is seized of pleas which have raised questions over several aspects, including the environmental clearance granted to the project.