New-Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave the Centre its go ahead to the redevelopment plan of the ambitious Central Vista project which aims to redevelop the Parliament area and government offices around it.
The Court said that the exercise of the power under DDA Act is just and valid. “The recommendations of environmental clearance by Ministry of Environment is just, valid and proper and we uphold the same,” it stated.
The Central Vista revamp, announced in September, 2019 envisages a new triangular Parliament building, with seating capacity for 900 to 1,200 MPs, that is to be constructed by August, 2022 when the country will be celebrating its 75th Independence Day.
The common Central Secretariat is likely to be built by 2024 under the project against which various pleas have been filed.
A bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna will pronounce the verdict on the batch of pleas on which it had reserved its verdict on November 5, last year.
On December 7, the top court had expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Centre for reportedly initiating construction process with announcement of ground breaking ceremony for the new parliament building in the Central Vista project, even as the issues connected with the redevelopment plan was under its consideration.
On December 10, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone for the new Parliament building. The construction is expected to cost around Rs 971 crore and the common Central Secretariat is likely to be built by 2024.
The petitioners had challenged the project with allegations of illegal change in land use and urged the court to quash the project.
The petitioners had challenged a notification issued by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on December 21, 2019 regarding changes in land use for the redevelopment.
(With IANS inputs)
Kalinga AI