HC rejects Ramlila organisers' plea to shut underground

The Delhi High Court today refused to restrain the municipal body from allowing the underground parking in Chandni Chowk during the Dusshera.
Declining to allow the plea of Lila Dharmik Committee, the organisers of Ram Lila in Chandni Chowk area to close the parking between October 5 and 14, a special bech of justices S Ravindra Bhat and S Muralidhar said "show us your right to say that it (parking area) should be shut down."
"There will be a huge chaos in that area. You can carry on Ramlila on the open surface. You have no right on the land. It can't be shut. They should come out with a solution," the bench said.

"If you would like to have another place, you will be given....," the bench also added.
Appearing for the organisers, senior advocate Sudhir Nandrajog said the committee has been organising the cultural event for past 80 years and the President of India would be the Chief Guest and other high dignitaries would also be present in the function.
To this submission, the court said "so was the India gate but now public is not allowed in the round about...."

The court also expressed its displeasure over the allegations levelled by the organisers against the petitoner Manushi, an NGO, and asked the senior counsel to withdraw the charges from their plea.

Meanwhile, the bench also summoned the Principal Secretary, PWD, for the department's failure to comply with its May 24 order allowing rickshaws to ply on carriageways of arterial roads.
The court was hearing the plea of Manushi seeking a direction to the authorities to allow all types of vehicles, incluidng cyclerickshaw, on the arterial roads.