New Delhi: World`s largest bus depot that would provide parking space to 1,000 buses during Commonwealth Games here, on Wednesday came under judicial scrutiny with the Delhi High Court seeking response from the government for alleged violation of Master plan 2021 in its construction over the Yamuna River Zone.
Issuing notice to the NCT government and DDA, a
Division Bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice
Dipak Misra and Justice Manmohan sought their reply by
December 8 on a PIL alleging that the bus depot at Millenium
Park was constructed without obtaining the DDA`s permission.
Filing the PIL, Vinod Jain, environmentalist, said the
construction of the depot near Nizamuddin bridge would cause
environmental disaster as the depot is located on the active
flood plain and water recharging area.
Appearing for the petitioner, counsel Arvind Shah
submitted that the authorities have ignored the provisions of
the Masterplan, Zonal plan by allowing the construction which
would jeopardise the efforts for rejuvenation of the river
Yamuna and its flood plains.
"River Yamuna has been placed in Zone`O` considered as
eco-sensitive. Even the Central Ground water Authority (CGWA)
has identified the entire area as potential acquifer for the
management of ground water resources. Construction of the
depot is not environment regenerating....," the petitioner
said.
The depot measuring 390 hectares, recently inaugurated
by Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit, has five workshop-cum-bus
scanning centres, seven dormitories for Delhi Transport
Corporation (DTC) officers, night stay for 500 persons, eight
washing pits, four underground tanks for washing buses and two
CNG filling stations.
The depot was constructed within a very short period
at a cost of Rs 61 crore and can be called the greenest depot
in the country.
PTI
