The court said that authorities must take a decision keeping in mind the larger public interest and the issue of maintaining law and order situation.
Protestors participate in a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at Kalindi Kunj-Sarita Vihar road in New Delhi. (File Photo: IANS)
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the police to deal with the issue of easing traffic on the Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch on account of the anti-CAA protests, keeping in mind the “larger public interest” and in accordance with the law in a time-bound manner.
A Division Bench of the Delhi High Court presided by Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Harishankar after passing the directions, disposed of a plea seeking court’s directions to withdraw the closure of Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch i.e. Road No. 13 A (between Mathura Road and Kalindi Kunj) as well as Okhla underpass.
The road has been closed for almost a month due to the ongoing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and demonstration in Shaheen Bagh.
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The road closure was extended from time to time till date, thereby causing huge inconvenience to lakhs of commuters every day, who were compelled to take different routes for the last one month.
The stretch, which connects Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, has been closed since December 15 after anti-CAA protesters parked themselves there and set up barricades on the road.
“The Kalindi Kunj stretch, which is quite crucial as the same connects Delhi, Faridabad (Haryana) and Noida (Uttar Pradesh) has been shut down since 15-12-2019 due to protests against the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) passed by the Parliament of India. Several Lacs commuters using the aforesaid road are forced to use alternative routes Delhi-Noida-Delhi (DND) Expressway and Ashram, which not only results in brunt of hours of traffic jams but wastage of fuel and precious time also (sic.),” the plea read.
Delhi Traffic Police has from time to time, informed of Road No. 13A between Mathura Road and Kalindi Kunj being closed for traffic movement and advised commuters coming from Noida to take DND or Akshardham to reach Delhi.
The court said that authorities must take a decision keeping in mind the larger public interest and the issue of maintaining law and order situation.
Exasperated residents in the neighbouring localities such Sarita Vihar had resorted to protest marches on Sunday demanding the opening of the stretch.
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