New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday summoned the Delhi police commissioner over non-implementation of the recommendations of a task force for removing encroachments and traffic bottlenecks in the national capital.
A bench comprising Justices Madan B. Lokur and Deepak Gupta said for the sake of people of Delhi, the court was summoning the police commissioner to explain the failure to implement the recommendations of the task force.
The apex court also took umbrage to an affidavit filed on Thursday by the Delhi government in the matter and said despite orders, no specific timeline had been given for removing traffic bottlenecks and encroachments in the city.
The bench asked advocate Wasim A. Qadri, representing the Delhi government, as to why it would take two years to remove the traffic bottlenecks in the city.
Referring to the affidavit, Mr Qadri said the two years time has been mentioned since constructions of flyovers, underpasses and foot over-bridges would take time.
“That means people of Delhi will have to face bottlenecks for another two-three years?” the bench said. Responding to it, the lawyer said the Delhi government was already taking appropriate steps by removing encroachments on the roads whi-ch led to temporary congestion of traffic.
“We are removing encro-achments from roads on a day-to-day basis,” Mr Qadri said and referred to a report prepared by the Delhi traffic police on the issue in February last year. The bench then asked him as to how many people were encroaching roads and footpaths.
“You say there are encroachments on roads and footpaths. It is a very general statement,” the bench noted.
