Terming as "very unfortunate" two women delivering babies in vehicles caught in traffic jams during the October 2015 India-Africa summit here, Delhi High Court today said the authorities were bound to take all steps to avoid situations causing hardships to the public.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath observed that the Delhi Government and police were bound to take all necessary measures to avoid any such incident which results in undue hardship to the public.
"It is no doubt true that the two incidents mentioned in the petition, stated to be on account of traffic snarls in Delhi, are very unfortunate," the bench said.
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"Though in the counter affidavit filed on behalf of Delhi Police, the allegation that the said incidents were owing to traffic restrictions imposed during VIP movement is denied, it appears to us that respondents (GNCTD and Police) are bound to take all the necessary measures to avoid any such incident resulting in undue hardship to the general public," it said.
The order came on a petition, filed by advocate Namrata Mukim, seeking directions to concerned authorities to create a separate corridor to avoid blocking of arterial roads during VIP movements and advance the concept of safety and security of the general public.
The court, which disposed of the petition, said the petitioner had also come up with certain suggestions to ensure smooth traffic flow during VIP movements and the authorities might consider its feasibility.
The petition had alleged that due to traffic snarls during VIP movements owing to the India-Africa summit, two women had delivered child inside a bus and an auto-rickshaw.
In her plea, Mukim had sought that "corrective steps" be taken by the authorities "as the traffic situation in Delhi is getting worse because of VVIP movements".
Delhi Police had earlier claimed in court that VVIP movements did not lead to huge traffic jams and refuted claims that a woman had given birth to a child inside a bus due to the snarls caused by the summit attended by VIPs from 54 countries.
Police had claimed that ahead of every VVIP movement in Delhi, it issued advisory through newspapers, radio and social media to maintain smooth flow of traffic.
It had maintained that foreign dignitaries have to be given smooth passage for traffic movement as per international protocol and "at the same time, full care was taken that general public was put to least inconvenience. Whenever, there were traffic restriction adequate diversion to alternative routes were provided.
