HC gives UT 3 weeks to submit site plan
Chandigarh, December 20
The UT Chief Engineer today found himself at the receiving end with the Punjab and Haryana High Court virtually rapping him for not coming out with the site plan for the construction of an underground parking lot in the vicinity. The Bench was of the opinion that the action was contemptuous.
Letter placed before Bench
As the case came up for resumed hearing, a letter was placed before the Bench of Justice Jaswant Singh and Justice Sant Parkash stating that the site plan would be produced after approval of the heritage committee.
As the case came up for resumed hearing this morning, a letter was placed before the Bench of Justice Jaswant Singh and Justice Sant Parkash stating that the site plan would be produced after approval of the heritage committee. Taking a serious view of the matter, the Bench asked UT senior standing counsel Pankaj Jain to, in turn, ask the UT Chief Architect to be present before it during the post-lunch session. The Bench was of the view that once it had been principally agreed, the matter should not be delayed.
The case came up for resumed hearing in the post-lunch session. The Bench asserted that the authorities concerned had neither sought an extension to present the plan, nor had informed the Bench about it. The Bench added that the action amounted to contempt once directions were issued to submit the plan. The Bench directed the UT to make clear its plan before granting three week’s time for the submission of plan and other documents. Senior counsel RS Khosla, Bar president DPS Randhawa and honorary secretary Rohit Sud were present during the hearing.
The UT Administration had earlier mooted an underground parking, while suggesting the preservation of a green belt. In a communication placed before the High Court during the hearing of a petition on the issue of constructing lawyers’ chambers, the Administration had asserted: “After a detailed deliberation in the meeting comprising technical and heritage experts, the Administration is of the opinion that, in the first phase, an underground parking of three floors below the existing temporary surface parking area can be constructed to accommodate 3,000 vehicles initially.
“The surface construction should be avoided to respect the commitment of green area, submitted by the UT Administration to UNESCO through the Ministry of Culture, Government of India”.
The communication had added: “The above stand of the UT Administration may be conveyed suitably to the Punjab and Haryana High Court…”
The communication from the UT Chief Engineer-cum-Special Secretary (Engineering) added that the demands raised by the High Court Bar Association in the court were discussed at a meeting held on October 10. The meeting was chaired by the Secretary, Engineering and Urban Planning. Subsequently, the issue was deliberated in another meeting held on October 16, chaired by the UT Adviser. — TNS
