The Hindu : National : Notice on ban on cycle rickshaws

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 12, 2007
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National

Notice on ban on cycle rickshaws

J. Venkatesan

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Centre and the Delhi Government on a special leave petition challenging the High Court order prohibiting the plying of cycle rickshaws in large parts of the city, including Chandni Chowk. A Bench of the Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice R.V. Raveendran also issued notice to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the city Police Commissioner on the SLP filed by Initiative for Transportation and Development Programmes, an NGO.

The High Court while prohibiting the plying of cycle rickshaws on the arterial roads of Delhi had said that such roads were the main link roads and were meant for carrying vehicles.

It had said “if cycle rickshaws were allowed on arterial roads it would not only affect the smooth flow of traffic but would create congestion for the commuters which not only entraps people in long traffic jam and results in lots of delay but also leads to wastage of fuel.”

The petitioner assailed the High Court order contending that the court could not take upon itself the task of technical experts and take decisions with respect to regulation of traffic in Delhi, which could by taken only by the government after much research and study by transportation experts. It said “what is being done is that the court is taking the decisions for traffic management and is itself overseeing its enforcement.”

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