Supreme Court of India, Image credit: PTI
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea that sought an order to the Central government to suspend the construction of the new Parliament building known as the Central Vista project during this worst pandemic time.
The Chief Justice of India NV Ramana agreed to take up the plea after the Delhi High Court deferred the hearing of the request till May 17. However, the Apex Court did decide on the date for hearing the matter yet.
The petition moved by Anya Malhotra and Sohail Hashmi represented by senior advocate Sidharth Luthra has asked the Supreme Court to suspend the construction activities of Central Vista Avenue during the peak phase of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The plea stated that the ongoing constitution work is in clear breach and violation of the Orders passed by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority.
At a time when Delhi is grappling with a devastating coronavirus outbreak and when all efforts, particularly and more so by the state and its agencies, have to be towards controlling the spiralling situation, the impugned acts of the respondents will nullify and negate all those efforts, said petitioners.
The plea also questioned how the Rs 20,000 crore project has been brought under the ambit of an "essential service".
The Central Vista Development Project was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2020.