Hearing on land use change for Central Vista project inconclusive: SC
New Delhi, Aug 25 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the hearing on the change of land use in connection with the Rs 20,000 crore Central Vista project remained inconclusive and would continue on Wednesday.
Last week, the apex court had said it will first hear the broad issue challenging the change of land use for the project.
A bench of Justices A.M. Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna said: “Hearing of rest of the matters commenced and remained inconclusive. Hearing to continue tomorrow. Hence, list tomorrow, August 26, at the end of the Board.”
The top court said the Centre is free to file a reply affidavit in the matter within 10 days from Tuesday after serving advance copy of the same on counsel for the concerned petitioner, who in turn, may file rejoinder affidavit within one week. “So that hearing of those petition(s) can also proceed along with other petition(s) questioning the change of land use,” said the bench.
On August 20, the apex court had said: “We make it clear that the court will first begin with the hearing of broad issue regarding challenge to the change of land use being contrary to the provisions of Delhi Development Act, 1957.”
The Central Vista project, which includes a new Parliament building, covers a three-km stretch from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate in Lutyens’ Delhi.
The observation was made by the bench during hearing a batch of petitions challenging several aspects including environmental clearance (EC) given to the project.
The top court, in its order, put out a draft flow chart indicating the heads of broad issues. “For the sake of convenience, a draft flow chart has been prepared by the office indicating the heads of broad issues in different petitions filed and listed so far for hearing and, in particular, referring to the specific notifications/notices challenged therein,” said the court.
It had also said that the parties involved in the matter are free to give suggestions to improve or modify the flow on the next date of hearing.
In the previous hearing, the apex court had said that it will hear the plea challenging the Central Vista project on three counts — changes in land use, violation of municipal law and violation of environmental law and posted the matter for further hearing on August 25.
The pleas challenging the project have been filed by activist Rajeev Suri and Lt Col. Anuj Srivastava (retd). The petitioners have moved the apex court against various permissions given to the project.
–IANS
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