The Supreme Court (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)
Putting an end to allegations and counter-allegations over notification of 351 roads in the capital, the Delhi government has submitted the notification under commercial and mixed-land use categories in a bid to save traders in these areas from the ongoing sealing drive.
Delhi Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain said, “Delhi government has submitted the notification of the 351 roads to the Supreme Court. We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will allow it and the roads will be notified as quickly as possible.”
Responding to the BJP and the Congress’ demand that the Delhi government should depute “top lawyers” in the case, Jain said the government has deputed senior advocates Arvind Datar and Parag Tripathi to handle the case. “This is an issue that involves the Centre as well. We would also suggest the Centre and DDA ask a senior advocate like Harish Salve to take up the issue so that it can be presented in the best possible way in court,” Jain said.
Both the BJP and the AAP have targeted each other regarding the notification of these roads. While the AAP has alleged that the municipal corporations of Delhi had submitted in writing that no sealing had taken place on these roads, the BJP had blamed the Delhi government for not notifying the roads.
Taking the city’s growth into account, 2,550 roads were notified by the Delhi government as commercial or mixed land use in 2006. But, due to what the Delhi government has since described as “certain deficiencies on part of the MCDs”, 351 roads were not notified, making them unique.
Legally, these markets had to be shut down, officials maintained, and it was only in February that the Delhi government sent the file for notification of the issue to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor.