
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has stepped in to address what it described as an “unacceptable situation” faced by soldiers of the Rajputana Rifles, who are forced to wade through a dirty drain four times a day during their routine march to the parade ground.
On Wednesday, a Division Bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora directed the Public Works Department (PWD), the Delhi Cantonment Board, and the traffic police to convene a joint meeting without delay. The purpose of the meeting is to chart out an immediate and workable plan to construct a foot-over-bridge that would give the soldiers a clean and dignified passage.
The Court also said that the Delhi Cantonment Board may seek the assistance of any Army agency if needed to help facilitate the project. Stressing urgency, the Bench asked for a comprehensive proposal, including the bridge’s design, budget, and timeline, to be submitted before the Court.
It was further clarified that the responsibility for funding the foot-over-bridge would lie with the PWD. The Court noted that the project had been sanctioned as far back as the year 2000 but, despite the passage of decades, no construction had taken place.
The matter came under judicial scrutiny after the High Court took suo motu cognisance of a newspaper article that highlighted the deplorable conditions under which the soldiers had to march. The report described how the personnel, while heading out from their barracks to the parade ground, were forced to pass through a waterlogged culvert that was often slick with sludge and, at times, waist-deep in filth.
Taking strong note of the situation, the Court said that such conditions for military personnel were unacceptable and could not be allowed to continue. The Bench remarked that immediate steps were needed to restore dignity and basic hygiene to the daily routine of these soldiers.
On Wednesday, the Court issued further directions to ensure that there is no waterlogging in the culvert. The authorities were told to regularly monitor the drainage and ensure that water is pumped out consistently so that the soldiers do not face any hindrance while passing through.