HC directs Delhi Metro to relocate Panchkuian Road shops

New Delhi, June 2 (UNI) In a major relief to the 529 shops on the Panchkuian Road in Central Delhi, the Delhi High Court today directed the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to allocate shops at an alternative site to the shopkeepers.

While delivering the judgement, Justice Vikramjit Sen said, ''Government and authorities are increasingly disregarding the mandates of the law by riding on the bandwagon of public interest.'' The petitioner possess the legal rights for continued possession of their shops which can be brought to an end only through pursuit of due process of the law. Alternatively, by mutual agreement all the parties may agree to relocation, said the order on the petition of the Panchkuian Road Shop Keepers Association.

The Association had challenged the eviction order of the DMRC from the area which was allotted to them by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) about 50 years ago to set up shops on both sides of the road near famous Connaught Place.

It was certainly arguable that since the DMRC had been allotted land for the specific purpose of relocation, its first obligation was to allot alternative sites and not the objective of earning revenue to cover the costs of the Delhi Metro.

As many as 529 shops and 518 residential houses were affected by the construction on the 22.8-km Barakhamba Road-Dwarka stretch of the project.

UNI PAT RL KN1955