The allotment of the Parade Ground parking area in Chandni Chowk for Ram Leela celebrations by North Delhi municipal corporation in violation of court orders today invited the wrath of Delhi High Court which said the civic body was "indifferent" to the need for being accountable to the people.
A bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and S Muralidhar said that Chandni Chowk and its surroundings were already "gripped" in an "endemic traffic congestion problem", to alleviate which a multi-level parking facility was built, and added that blocking access to it during the religious celebration would "add to the chaos on the streets".
"This basic thought process has eluded the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (North DMC) and its Commissioner who never paused to consider impact of the permission given - firstly, in violation of this court's orders and secondly, the resultant hardship and inconvenience.
"The court, therefore, cannot but express disapproval of the indifference of the officers of North DMC headed by the Commissioner to the need to be accountable to the public for their actions," it said.
The court's observations came in its order disposing of a contempt notice issued by it on September 30 last year, against North DMC Commissioner for blocking access to the underground and surface parking at Parade Ground when the site was allotted for Ram Leela celebrations.
While disposing of the contempt notice, the court said though the Commissioner of North DMC has tendered an unconditional apology, it will accept it subject to him filing an affidavit within two weeks, reporting compliance with its directions.
The bench said that while alloting the facility for the celebration, "no thought was given" to the fact that it was meant for public and allotting it for any other purpose "would entail inconvenience and loss of revenue".
The court in its 16-page order has observed that as per its orders of September and October 2013, both surface and underground parking facility could not be allotted for any other use.
