MANUSHI SANGATHAN DELHI Vs. GOVT OF DELHI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) At a special sitting today, the Court was shown several presentations. One of these included a presentation by M/s. Pradeep Sachdeva and Associates, the Architects commissioned by the MCD. This presentation was about the road segregation on the S.P. Mukherjee Marg for the purpose of pilot project for implementation of the directions contained in this Court's judgment dated 10.02.2010. The Court is informed that this presentation was also made before the UTTIPEC which has approved it in principle. According to the proposal, the free-left slip road turning on to the S.P. Mukherjee Marg would no longer exist. Instead a separate lane has been created in the main carriageway to cater to the left-turning motorized vehicle (MV) traffic. The proposal also envisions a multi-utility zone (MUZ) which is to act as a buffer between non-motorized vehicle (NMV, a term which refers to cycle rickshaws, trolleys, thelas, etc. also variously called "cycle rickshaws") (NMV) lane and the main carriageway for motorized vehicles. The MUZ would be used for parking of rickshaws, emergency vehicles, PCRs and also for the purpose of hawking.

(2.) Mr. Nazmi Waziri, learned counsel on behalf of the NCT of Delhi and the Delhi Police submitted on instructions from the DCP (Traffic) present in court that the above proposal was acceptable and that suitable steps to implement the same would be taken at the earliest. We also direct all concerned agencies to cooperate and ensure that the road segregation of the S.P.Mukherjee Marg with the additional MV lane as proposed by M/s. Pradeep Sachdeva and Associates is implemented within six weeks from today. Just after the above was dictated in Court, Mr.Waziri informed the Court that that there was a rethink by the DCP (Traffic) and that even though earlier the proposal to do away with the free left slip road had been agreed to by the Govt. of NCT of Delhi, they were now opposed to the idea and wished to have a free left slip road. The concerned DCP Traffic is of the opinion that such a free slip road is necessary and that the Delhi Police is not comfortable with the idea of a buffer zone.

(3.) We notice in this regard that the UTTIPEC formulated Street Design Guidelines adopted by it in November 2009, which is the guiding norm for town-planning and design of various streets in the Govt. of NCT of Delhi. These guidelines inter alia state: