Earlier in January 2021, the Central Vista redevelopment project which acquired judicial clearance by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in a majority judgment proposes to replace the existing parliament structure with three times bigger parliament and to modify the use of 86.1 acres of land in the national capital.
However, with the upsurge in Covid-19 cases and prevailing chaotic conditions, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed before the Hon’ble Delhi High Court for the safety of the workmen engaged in construction activities of the proposed new structure given the possibility of being infected.
Before the Hon’ble High Court, the petitioners have argued that given the pandemic catastrophe in the state, the project was not an essential activity and hence, can be suspended during the pandemic. Expressing concern for the workmen the petitioners referred to the proposed project as ‘central fortress of death’ comparing it to ‘Auschwitz’, an extermination camp used for the holocaust by Germany in Poland during the Second World War. The reference was made to the possibility of workers contracting the virus given its super spreading potentiality and threat it poses to them.
Meanwhile, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for the centre has opposed the plea citing the PIL as a disguise to stall the construction of the project.
After hearing both sides, the Hon’ble High Court Bench headed by Hon’ble Chief Justice D.N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh had reserved the verdict on May 17th which is yet to be pronounced on Monday 31st May.
