Shocked over delay in start of compliance of its order to conduct the survey of road-side kiosks by NDMC, the Delhi High Court has directed the civic body to carry out the exercise within one week.
“It is quite shocking it has taken so much time for NDMC to start complying with the order of September 11, 2014, as the period of 12 weeks granted by the single judge ended on December 11,” a bench of justice Kailash Gambhir and Najmi Waziri said.“Let this entire survey be completed within another period of one week and status report be filed by NDMC along with action taken report before the next date of hearing,” it said and directed the concerned DCP to make available necessary police assistance to the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).
The court also directed NDMC to stop all unauthorised activities being carried out on the pavements and remove them from the space beyond the licensed area as the “footpaths are meant for pedestrians and not for hawkers.”
It directed NDMC to take action against the defaulters saying “in an ever-burgeoning city like Delhi with the daily quantum increase in the already heavy vehicular traffic, the rights of the pedestrians cannot be compromised.”
The bench issued the directions after seeing the pictures showing “a highly objectionable, indeed horrifying state of affairs” with occupants of the pavement kiosks carrying on various kinds of activities far beyond their allotted spaces and blocking spaces meant for pedestrians.
NDMC, in its defence, informed the court that it was carrying out surveys and has surveyed more than 257 sites till date. The court was hearing a plea by one Suman Lata who had sought directions to NDMC to renew her lease for running a pan stall.
“It is quite shocking it has taken so much time for NDMC to start complying with the order of September 11, 2014, as the period of 12 weeks granted by the single judge ended on December 11,” a bench of justice Kailash Gambhir and Najmi Waziri said.“Let this entire survey be completed within another period of one week and status report be filed by NDMC along with action taken report before the next date of hearing,” it said and directed the concerned DCP to make available necessary police assistance to the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).
The court also directed NDMC to stop all unauthorised activities being carried out on the pavements and remove them from the space beyond the licensed area as the “footpaths are meant for pedestrians and not for hawkers.”
It directed NDMC to take action against the defaulters saying “in an ever-burgeoning city like Delhi with the daily quantum increase in the already heavy vehicular traffic, the rights of the pedestrians cannot be compromised.”
The bench issued the directions after seeing the pictures showing “a highly objectionable, indeed horrifying state of affairs” with occupants of the pavement kiosks carrying on various kinds of activities far beyond their allotted spaces and blocking spaces meant for pedestrians.
NDMC, in its defence, informed the court that it was carrying out surveys and has surveyed more than 257 sites till date. The court was hearing a plea by one Suman Lata who had sought directions to NDMC to renew her lease for running a pan stall.