Central Vista Project: SC Gives A Go-Ahead To Redevelopment Plan Of Parliament Building

“The recommendations of environmental clearance by Ministry of Environment is just, valid and proper and we uphold the same,” the apex court stated.

**EDS: FILE PHOTO** New Delhi: In this file photo dated Dec. 5, 2020, a model of the proposed new Parliament building, in New Delhi. The Supreme Court allowed the Centre to go ahead with the proposed foundation stone-laying ceremony for the Central Vista project after the government assured it that no construction or demolition work would commence till the apex court decides the pending pleas on the issue, on Monday, Dec. 7, 2020. (PTI Photo)(PTI07-12-2020_000099B)

Central Vista Project: The Supreme Court has given a go-ahead to the redevelopment plan of the Central Vista project as it pronounced its verdict on the petitions challenging the validity of the Centre's plan for the redevelopment of the Central Vista area. The Court said that the exercise of the power under DDA Act is just and valid. “The recommendations of environmental clearance by Ministry of Environment is just, valid and proper and we uphold the same,” it stated. A bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna pronounced the verdict on the batch of pleas on which it had reserved its verdict on November 5, last year Central Vista Revamp Project The Central Vista revamp, announced in September, 2019 envisages a new triangular Parliament building, with seating capacity for 900 to 1,200 MPs, that is to be constructed by August, 2022 when the country will be celebrating its 75th Independence Day. The common Central Secretariat is likely to be built by 2024 under the project against which various pleas have been filed. What did the court say earlier? On December 7, last year the top court had allowed the Centre to proceed with the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the Central Vista project on December 10 after the government assured it that no construction or demolition work would commence till the apex court decides the pending pleas on the issue. Centre had told the bench that there would be only foundation stone-laying ceremony, and no construction, demolition or felling of trees would be done for the project as of now. The apex court had earlier said that any change at the ground level made by authorities for the Central Vista project will be "at their own risk". It had made it clear that the fate of the project, which includes several new government buildings and a new Parliament House, will depend on its decision. On November 5, the apex court had reserved its verdict on a batch of pleas which have raised questions over the Centre's ambitious Central Vista project, which covers three km stretch from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate in Lutyens' Delhi.