Cenral Vista:False narrative is being circulated-Puri,HC dismisses plea

After the Delh High Court ruling in favour of the Central vista the union housing minister Hardeep  Singh Puri accused that a false narrative is being circulated over the Central Vista project by the the opposition, Talking to newsmen in New Delhi on Monday he asserted that no heritage building would be touched and that a new Parliament Building was a necessity, not a vanity project as the current building was in a seismic zone. Puri also said no design had been cleared for a new Prime Minister's residence and only two projects - the Parliament building and the widening of the central vista stretch - were under way.The "Central Vista" and "Central Vista Avenue" were being freely interchanged, the minister said. He also said the decision to construct a new Parliament building was taken in 2012, when the Congress was in power.

Earliar, the Delhi High Court has dismissed a petition which had sought a stay on the construction taking place at Central Vista Avenue during the peak phase of COVID-19 pandemic and imposed a fine of Rs 1 Lakh on the petitioner. The division bench of Chief Justice D.N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh said the work at Central Vista Avenue is part and parcel of the work at Central Vista Project and of vital public importanc  e. The construction of Central Vista Avenue Redevelopment cannot be seen in isolation, it added. The Bench said that since the workers working at the project are staying on site, there is no question of issuing directions to suspend the work of Central Vista Avenue Redevelopment Project. The Bench added the DDMA in the April 19 order has not prohibited construction activity where labourers are residing on-site.

Stating that the whole Central Vista Project is an essential project of national importance, the court on Monday said sovereign functions of parliament are also going to be conducted there and the public is vitally interested in this project.“The legality of the project has been upheld by the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” added the court. It further noted that the work at Central Avenue has to be completed before November and said time is the essence of the contract.