New Delhi, Nov 14 (PTI) The obstructions created bypotholes, poles and shopping kiosks on pavements, especiallyfor the disabled, in the north campus of Delhi Universitytoday led the Delhi High Court to take the MCD officials totask for its "criminal negligence".
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice CHari Shankar termed the situation as "extremely distressing"as the tactile markings on the pavements were "replete withobstructions" including pillars, hoardings and signboards.
"You have tactile markings on pavements till it hits atree or a pole. How dare you waste taxpayers' money likethis," the court asked and observed it is a "criminalnegligence on part of the person concerned".
It directed the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NorthMCD) to give details of its officials who had designed andapproved the plans, the tenders, selected the contractors andsanctioned payments for the works.
The bench said these obstructions prohibit access tonavigation for any pedestrian, let alone those who arevisually impaired. ... If this is what statutory authoritiesdo, how can one blame the citizens."It said all civic bodies have to be mindful that thefacilities put in place for the disabled are not obstructed inany way.
The bench asked the North MCD to map the facilitiesavailable for the disabled in its jurisdiction and listed thematter for further hearing on January 11.
The observations and directions of the court came when itwas hearing a PIL alleging that the tactile markings onpavements in the north campus of the varsity, especiallyoutside prominent colleges like the Hindu College, wereobstructed by police chowkis, bus stops, trees, poles, holes,hoardings and signboards.
The petition sought that the campus be made more disabledfriendly. PTI HMP SKV PPSARC.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.