Buses shifted out of Millennium Depot: Delhi govt tells SC

The Delhi government today informed the Supreme Court that it has shifted out buses from the Millennium Bus Depot, built on the banks of the Yamuna to keep buses during the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
A bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar took on record the affidavit filed by the Transport Secretary of the Delhi government in compliance with its earlier order that cluster buses parked at the depot be removed by February 4.
"The petition is disposed of as the buses have been shifted," the bench, also comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and S K Kaul, said.
The apex court had in its January 13 order also said the area on which the depot is located will not be put to use till its environmental aspect was decided by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

It had said that 2021 Master Plan will have to be amended if the Millennium Bus Depot is found to be situated on Yamuna flood plains by the NGT.
The court had said, "If the NGT finds that it is river bed then it is the end of the matter, but if it is flood plain then the master plan has to be amended." No construction is allowed on river beds.

The 50-acre depot was built on the river bank initially as a temporary depot during the 2010 Commonwealth Games, with a parking space for around 1,000 buses along with various facilities, including five workshop-cum-scanning centres, a logistics centre and two CNG-filling stations.

The apex court had last year said that ordering the demolition of the bus depot would not be appropriate and had granted a year's time to the Delhi government and DTC to get the 2021 Master Plan amended, failing which it would have to shift the bus shelter from the Yamuna river banks.
The apex court had said a chance was given by the Delhi High Court to the Delhi government and DTC in October 2015 to have the Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) 2021 amended, if it was permissible in law, within six months.