The Delhi High Court today asked the authorities to take immediate steps to check illegal parking of vehicles on pavements outside the Blind Relief Association near Oberoi Hotel and rectify other issues in the area which cause problems to the visually impaired persons.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar directed the Delhi Police, Traffic Police and NDMC to take necessary action after examining the report filed by the amicus curiae, assisting the court, and file an action taken report before it in two weeks.
Advocate M Sufian Siddiqui, who was appointed amicus curiae (friend of court) in the matter, said the condition was deplorable and no action has been taken by the authorities.
"The authorities need to take immediate steps to rectify the situation," the bench said and listed the matter for February 28.
The court issued the direction on a letter written by senior advocate Dushyant Dave seeking its intervention to stop illegal parking and commercial activities carried outside the Blind Relief Association on Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg.
The court had earlier turned the letter into a public interest litigation (PIL).
Siddiqui said the authorities have turned a blind eye towards the plight of the visually impaired persons and vehicles were still parked there in an illegal manner.
Additional Standing Counsel of Delhi Police, Satyakam, told the bench that construction of a foot-over-bridge (FOB) has been approved and pavements need to be rectified.
The amicus recommended in his report that the authorities should expeditiously construct an FOB on exigent basis in a time-bound manner to render the stretch around the 'Blind Relief Association' safe and convenient for all.
The association focuses on providing education and training to the visually challenged, enabling them to realise their potential and be self reliant.
The amicus said the authorities should be directed to either make adequate arrangements for providing the facility of toilet or ensure that passersby and labourers are desisted from relieving themselves on the wall of the association.
He sought direction to the Traffic Police or Delhi Police to comply with the court's earlier order ensuring that no vehicle was illegally and unauthorisedly parked at the pavement between Hotel Oberoi Intercontinental and the main entry-gate of the association and on the slip road/main road.
"The authority concerned may be directed to forthwith rectify the problem of intermittent overflowing of sewage water on the footpath and the slip road abutting the main entry gate of the association," the report suggested.
It had also sought a police picket outside or near the gate of the association to prevent any loitering by anti- social elements defecation by the pedestrians.
Dave's letter, received by the high court on October 25 last year, had highlighted the extraordinary problems and miseries faced by the visually challenged persons.
He had said that it was difficult for physically challenged persons to access the bus stop on either side of the road due to the heavy and fast moving traffic.
His letter complained that the footpath was occupied by illegally parked vehicles in the area. It had said that due to ongoing construction at the hotel, the roads are blocked and barricaded.
"No action is being taken taken by the civic and police authorities to improve the situation including overflow of sewage water near the association," he said.
The counsel had sought direction to construct an overhead footbridge to enable the visitors to the institute to commute comfortably. He had urged the court to ask the authorities not to allow stoppage of vehicles on road.
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