Maintaining that ordering demolition of Millennium Bus Depot at this juncture would not be appropriate, the Supreme Court on Friday granted one year time to the Delhi Government and the DTC to get the 2021 Master Plan amended failing which it would have to shift the bus shelter from the Yamuna river banks.
A bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur, however, made it clear that no further time on any ground whatsoever would be granted on this issue. The bench, also comprising Justices AK Sikri and R Banumati, said the decision in this regard can be deferred for some time to await the outcome of report of an expert committee on the identification of floodplain.
The court said a chance was given by the Delhi High Court to the Delhi Government and DTC in October last year to have the Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) 2021 amended, if it was permissible in law, within six months.
“Exercise to consider the aforesaid aspect has not taken place, or for some reason or the other, whether it was because of dispute between l&DO and DDA on the issue of land ownership or otherwise,” it said in its 23- page order.
However, the development which has taken place in recent times, particularly the orders of the National Green Tribunal, point to the fact that things have started moving and it would be known in near future as a result of study conducted by the Expert Committee, whether area in question where the Bus Depot stands, is viable for this purpose or not, directing the DTC to demolish the Bus Depot at this juncture may not be appropriate and the decision in this regard can be deferred for some time to await the outcome of the report of the identification of floodplain, the bench said.
The court passed the order while disposing of separate appeals filed by the Delhi government and DTC against the Delhi High Court’s October 20, 2015 order. The high court had refused to extend the time to the authorities to shift out the bus depot, situated next to Nizamuddin Bridge and behind IP Power Station.