SC stays divider work in GK-II

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has stayed an NGT order, which had directed for construction of a median strip connecting Greater Kailash-II and Alaknanda localities, after local residents and schools in the area challenged the move.
A bench of Chief Justice HL Dattu and Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy recently stayed the NGT order till further hearing and also asked the public works department (PWD) to explain why it wants to build the median at that particular spot when a big section of local residents oppose the move.
SC's stay order came on a joint plea of three schools and four residents welfare associations (RWAs) in GK-II and Alaknanda arguing that the NGT order of May is a sure recipe for traffic chaos. The court had on the last date of hearing issued notices to Delhi administration, PWD and Delhi Development Authority on the petitioner' s plea questioning the NGT order for construction of the median verge on a narrow road.
The petitioners include Don Bosco School, St George's School, Kalka Public School, Narmada RWA, Ganga RWA, Nilgiri RWA and Mandakini Enclave RWA. In their plea, they pointed out to the apex court that during peak school traffic around 70 buses and 300 private vans are parked in and around the schools on this narrow road. " If a median is constructed, there will be space only for one car to pass on each proposed carriageway and in case a car or a bus breaks down, it will bring traffic to a complete standstill on the entire 2.5km stretch," the petition submits.
To bolster their case, the petitioners also cited the Street Design Guidelines formulated and adopted by the governing body of Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning and Engineering) Centre claiming the decision of the civic agencies clearly violates the guidelines.
" The appellant schools are concerned about the traffic nightmare that would be caused once schools reopen and approached the authorities requesting them to stop work. The authorities refused and informed that the work is being done on NGT orders," they added.