The Supreme Court on Monday had questioned the Delhi Development Authority to bring appropriate changes to the Master Plan 2021 to protect the traders from the ongoing sealing drive in various Delhi markets.
A bench headed by justice Lokur said “a proposal to bring in changes in the Master Plan, are leading to the destruction of Delhi. DDA is becoming Delhi Destruction Authority”.
He aimed at comforting the public by saying that “DDA was buckling under pressure to bring in the proposed changes, and not looking at the interests of a larger section of Delhi’s residents”.
Further, referring to the illegal construction and other civic problems such as rising pollution Justice Lokur observed, “The pollution levels in the country are so bad and it is discovered that among the 20 most polluted cities in the world 13 are in India only. And out of these Delhi is at the top. I wonder what civic authorities are doing in Delhi.”
The sealing drive in Delhi is being conducted in areas where 2,183 stretches of roads where commercial and mixed-land is not permitted or where there have been other violations, such as building an extra floor or the use of a balcony or basement or godowns.
The measures were to come into effect after the Master Plan 2021 was amended by the DDA, which agreed to the changes in its February 2 meeting.
When contacted, DDA vice-chairman Udai Pratap Singh said: “We will follow what the Supreme Court has ordered. We will file the affidavit as sought by the court explaining why Master Plan 2021 needs changes.”
