The High Court here on Wednesday told the Delhi Development Authority that when it makes a residential colony it has to ensure public toilets and drinking water facilities are also available for non-residents of the area like guards, street cleaners and on-duty police personnel.
A Bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar asked the DDA where these non-residents will go during duty hours if they are thirsty or have to use the washroom.
“What about women police officers who are on traffic duty? Where will they go? You are the largest planner of Delhi, should you not plan for this,” the court asked DDA.
The Bench directed DDA to indicate its stand before the next date of hearing on October 23.
The court was hearing a PIL filed by a law student highlighting the plight of guards posted in certain residential localities in north-west Delhi’s Rohini.
The petitioner, Subhash Vijayran, said that guards in Pockets 1, 3 and 4 of Sector 34 in Rohini work in poor conditions without access to drinking water or toilets. The guard rooms do not have any electrical connection to install fans and if they take power from nearby light poles, the same is disconnected by DDA officials, the plea said.
The petitioner claimed he called DDA officials of the area in connection with these issues but no action was taken. Taking note of the plea, the Bench directed the DDA to ensure the needful is done.