HC criticises NCRPB for making Delhi 'one big traffic zone'

The Delhi High Court today criticised the Centre's National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) for converting the city into "one big traffic zone", instead of de-congesting it.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said that instead of building more housing space, flyovers and underpasses in the national capital, the NCRPB should focus on moving the congestion, especially industries, out of Delhi to its peripheries.

"Your plans only talk of improving vehicular movement by building flyovers and underpasses. What is the need for building eight-storey residential areas where two-storey structures existed? You have to move industries out of Delhi.

"But you are converting Delhi into one big traffic zone. Where is the de-congestion? There is nothing in your plans with regard to developing infrastructure beyond borders of Delhi," the court said, and asked the NCRPB to examine these issues and place a report before the bench.

The court was hearing a PIL initiated by it after taking cognisance of a news report about discharge of carcinogenic chemicals by cloth dyeing units in Mustafabad area in northeast Delhi.

The report stated that untreated effluents were contaminating ground water, the main source of drinking water in the area, and were linked to the high rate of cancer there.

With regard to industries there, the court asked today how they were allowed to continue to operate with water and power connections when they neither had a consent to establish or operate from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee nor an occupancy certificate from the municipal corporation.

"You cannot occupy a building without an occupancy certificate. Doing so would be contrary to the law. How can you permit electricity or water connection for a building without an occupancy certificate," the court asked the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Committee and the Delhi Jal Board.

The authorities told the court that the connections were provided as the buildings had a licence to run a factory or commercial establishment from the premises.

The bench, however, did not agree with the reason and stressed the need for occupancy certificate.

"Residential premises are often misused. The first step to prevent it is having a occupancy certificate. It is essential," the court said.

The DERC was earlier asked by the court to draft a form for grant of power connections to industries in northeast areas of Delhi.

Perusing the form, the court said it was too complicated and suggested that it be made simpler. The bench advised the DERC to take outside help, if required, to make the form simpler.

A direction was issued to DJB and DERC to make requisite changes in how it grants approval for water and power connections and the matter was listed for further hearing on July 31.

The court in March this year directed all local bodies to undertake they would strictly adhere to the requirement of a consent from DPCC before granting licence, water supply, power connection or sewerage facility to any industrial unit to be set up in areas authorised for such activity.