NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking direction to the Union Home Ministry and Delhi Police to suspend the issuance of challans by the red-light violation cameras in Delhi till the COVID-19 situation in Delhi gets better.
A Bench of Justice DN Patel and Jasmeet Singh while dismissing the PIL said the petition is useless and filed without any homework. The court said ambulances are already permitted to go straight without any hindrance at red lights.
"Due to the deterrence of drivers standing in front of ambulances at a traffic light, being scared of the repercussions of either crossing the red light or even moving over the STOP LINE to get the ambulance to pass over, the ambulances do not get their Right of Way, and have to stand for crucial minutes on every traffic light where such a camera is installed," the plea stated.
The petitioner Utkarsh Trivedi, a law student through Advocate Satyam Singh had sought direction to the respondents to either suspend the usage or cancel the issuance of challans during the lockdown imposed in Delhi, or till the COVID-19 situation becomes better.
"If the particular cameras are not suspended from the traffic lights, then it will cause an irreparable loss in life, and the violation of Right to Health under Article 21 of the Constitution of India," the petition added.
The petition further stated that, in the present situation, severe patients travelling in Ambulances with disabilities can neither enjoy the full benefit of hospitals nor do they have adequate mechanisms to get their right to health enforced. The underlying basis of the Motor Vehicles Act is to ensure that lives are saved on the road, however, with the usage of the same cameras, crucial time is being wasted on the roads.