The Delhi High Court today expressed displeasure over the manner in which the city government has made changes in the decision of experts over the plying of non-motorised vehicles, especially cycle rickshaw, on arterial roads.
The court also disapproved of a proposed plan submitted by PWD with regard to the traffic in Chandni Chowk area saying "the proposed plan, prepared by the Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC), does not specify the lanes for non-motorised vehicles."
A special bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and S Muralidhar said " UTTIPEC Chairman Lieutenant-Governor(LG) said in a recent meeting that no cycle rickshaw to ply in the arterial road and also the Chief Minister, who is the Chairman of SRDC, approved the plan which does not specify the lanes for the non-motorised vehicles especially cycle rickshaw."
Disapproving of SRDC's proposed plan, submitted by the Secretary of SRDC, the bench said "it is completely unlawful. There will be complete chaos and the roads will be choked."
The court, however, said it would pass an appropriate order on the issue.
The bench's observation came on the submissions made by the counsel of Manushi Snagathan, an NGO, Indira Unniyar, the has made changes in decision of experts on the issue of cycle rickshaw and she referred to the minutes of the 40th meeting held by the governing body of the Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (PLG. And ENGG) Centre (UTTIPEC).
The Bench has been hearing a petition by the NGO urging the court to allow cycle rickshaws to ply in the city as it was a means of livelihood for thousands of poor people.
