SC agrees to hear plea against Delhi HC order on Central vista project on Friday

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The Supreme Court Tuesday agreed to hear on March 6 a plea against the Delhi High Court order which said DDA was not required to apprise it before notifying changes in the Master Plan to allow the Centre's the Central Vista project, covering 3-km stretch from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate in Lutyens' Delhi.

Several new government buildings and a new Parliament House are among the project.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde took note of the plea seeking urgent hearing of the appeal filed against an order of the division bench of the Delhi High Court.

"List on March 6, 2020 before an appropriate bench," said the bench, which also comprised Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant.

A division bench of the High Court on February 28 had stayed an order of its single judge bench which had asked the Delhi Development Authority to approach the court before notifying any change in the Master Plan for going forth with the Centre's ambitious project to redevelop the Central Vista.

The HC's stay order on the single judge bench's February 11 direction had come on the intra-court appeal of the DDA and the Centre.

The division bench of the High Court had also issued notice to the two individuals -- Rajeev Suri and Lt Col (retd) Anuj Srivastava -- on whose pleas the February 11 order was passed, and had listed the Centre and DDA's appeals for further hearing on May 6.

Suri and Srivastava, in their pleas before the single judge, have opposed the Central Vista project on the ground that it involves a change in land use of the green area adjoining Rajpath and Vijay Chowk for building a new Parliament and government offices.

They have contended that DDA does not have the power to bring about the proposed change in land use and master plan and only the central government can do so.

The single judge in his February 11 order had said, "In case, a decision is taken to notify the proposed changes in Master Plan of Delhi 2020-21, the DDA will approach the court before notifying such decision."