The Supreme Court has conveyed its displeasure over the Delhi Traffic Police taking up only five of the 77 short-term measures identified by a task force to decongest traffic in the capital. The court also sought to know why no planning has been done for the Metro lines due to be operational soon.
“You can’t take five out of 77 measures and that too you are doing only partially,” a bench of Justice Madan B Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta remarked. “You say that the NHAI has to do this, someone else has to do that. What do you have to do?” the bench told advocate Wasim A Qadri, who appeared for the Delhi government and Delhi Police.
Qadri said the recommendations of the task force were being implemented and that 28 traffic corridors were required to be considered and the process of construction of flyovers and underpasses would take time. He said steps will be taken to remove encroachments from Dhaula Kuan intersection, Sardar Patel Marg, 11 Murti Road and Panchsheel Marg etc. The court asked him to show what steps have been taken in the areas. “Which encroachment have you removed and when?” Advocate Aparajita Singh, the amicus curiae, suggested that the DMITS be asked to devise a plan for decongestion and the matter on formulating a comprehensive action plan to curb air pollution be heard along with this one. The bench accepted her suggestions.
