New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed the constitution of a committee consisting of representatives of statutory authorities from the state of UP and Delhi to present a comprehensive traffic management plan for Kaushambi and Ghaziabad within 3 weeks.
The bench comprising of Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice MR Shah and Justice Sanjiv Khanna was hearing a petition filed by the President of the Kaushambi Apartments Resident Welfare Association and Ashapushp Vihar Awas Vikas Samiti Ltd who approached the court highlighting issues like environmental pollution, haphazard traffic management and unrestricted dumping of municipal solid waste.
There is absence of adequate spaces for parking public service vehicles, automobile pollution by UPSRTC buses, nuisance of pressure horns by vehicles and there is total absence of implementation by law enforcement machinery.
The petitioner argued that as a result of all this the residents of the area have been facing respiratory issues and the ground water is contaminated.
Read: Ghazipur landfill site fire: Strict action will be taken against East Delhi civic body, says Rai
The matter was also moved before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) which had sought report from a team consisting of representatives from CPCB, UPPCB and Delhi Pollution Control Committee.
The compliance report was filed in 2017 identifying the shortcomings and making certain recommendations. Recommendations included modernising Kaushambi bus depot and Anand Vihar, ISBT along with proper design of intersection and roads' for smooth free flow of traffic in this area in time bound manner.
Further it recommended shifting exit gates of Kaushambhi bus depot to near Pacific mall, pavement of roads adjacent to Wave cinema (where sewerage system was laid), two bin system for solid waste and directing the police to not allow static autos, buses and hawkers on the roads near Kaushambi bus depot. However, the situation was painted grim to NGT and it again directed compliance report to be filed on 31st December, 2020.
The Apex court observed that the situation on ground has still not improved and treating the issue merely as law enforcement issue will not solve the problem as after the direction of the court action might be taken for few days but then the situation goes back to where it was.
Read: Severe heatwave in Delhi, highest temperature in March since 1945: IMD
Some of these problems do not necessarily originate in Ghaziabad such as the problem which is caused by the back up of vehicles at toll booths. The Anand Vihar Terminal, the court has been appraised, takes care of the need of the buses of the Delhi Transport Corporation and inter state buses which originate and terminate at the Terminal. However, we do find that there is a total absence of adequate space for the parking of other public service vehicles including intra-state buses within Ghaziabad, as result of which the vehicles are parked in a haphazard manner on public roads, including service roads.
In fact, we find from photographs, which have been produced by the petitioners, that there is even a public board stipulating that the parking in the area is prohibited under the order of the NGT.
Despite this, the photographs indicate that vehicles are still being parked around the same area. This problem has to be addressed by proper management of traffic and creating adequate space for parking of public service vehicles. Merely treating it as a matter of law enforcement will not provide a long lasting solution Ad hoc reactions to a deeper malaise will bring no relief to the residents, users of public transport and those providing public transport," read the order.
The matter will be heard again on 14th April now.
Read: Delhi reviews occupancy of ICU beds amid Covid surge
