HC for expeditious decision on forest land diversion near Rock Garden to resolve traffic congestion
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has expressed hope that the Union of India will take swift action to address the diversion of forest land near the Rock Garden, which has been causing traffic congestion around the court complex.
Additional Solicitor General of India, Satya Pal Jain, informed the court during the hearing that a proposal to divert 0.0272 hectares of forest land outside the Rock Garden boundary had already been submitted. But certain objections raised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change were still under consideration by the Chandigarh Administration.
Jain assured the court that the objections would be addressed expeditiously, and a final decision would be made within two weeks.
Taking note of the submission, the Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Anil Kshetraphal asserted: “This court is hopeful and also expects of the Union of India to take expeditious decision so that the traffic congestion problem being faced by this High Court is resolved.”
The observations are significant as the traffic bottleneck around the High Court has been exacerbated by the narrow roads near the Rock Garden, particularly the jutting-out corner on the southeast side of the multi-level parking, which has created a choke point.
The diversion of forest land for road widening is being seen as a crucial step in alleviating the traffic congestion.
The high court also took note of other issues contributing to the traffic congestion. It referred to the possibility of reducing the width of a road divider, measuring over eight feet, between the New Judicial Record Room and the Multi-Level Parking.
The court suggested that this could be done without damaging the trees growing on the divider. It further sought an explanation from the Chandigarh Administration for not constructing a service road parallel to Uttar Marg, which could have eased the traffic burden.
The court noted that various officers of the Chandigarh Administration were present and had been heard extensively regarding the traffic issues surrounding the court complex.
Amicus Curiae, Advocate Tanu Bedi, also submitted a detailed long-term holistic traffic management and parking proposal, which aims to provide sustainable solutions to the parking and congestion problems in and around the High Court. This plan will be taken up for consideration during the next hearing.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on October 3, with the court expecting a compliance report on the steps taken to resolve the traffic congestion by then.
The traffic issue around the High Court has been a pressing concern, causing inconvenience not only to the court staff and lawyers but also to the general public.
