Millennium Depot's relocation should not affect public: HC

The Delhi High Court Thursday said that relocation of Millennium Bus Depot, built on the Yamuna river bed ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, should not cause "public inconvenience".

Justice Sudershan Kumar Misra's remark came after the counsel appearing for the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) failed to assure the court that it will provide alternate land to the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to relocate the depot.

The court said that thousands of buses will come on road if land authority does not provide any site to the DTC to relocating the depot.

"In the absence of an alternate location the decision to relocate the bus depot may cause utter public disruption or chaos to either severely curtail the bus services or letting out 1,000 buses on the roads," the court said.

"DDA should look into the interest of the public," the judge said, asking it whether it is not DDA's obligation to consider giving alternate land to DTC.

The court's remark came after DDA counsel Rajiv Bansal said that there is no obligation on it to allot alternate land to the DTC, however, it can consider its request for land when to a comprehensive representation in this regard.

The court also asked a "senior official who knows all the aspects of the matter should remain present in the court on the next date of hearing", and posted the matter for Feb 19.

A meeting was held at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's office Jan 15 in which the decision to relocate the DTC Millennium Bus depot to an alternative site was taken.