Shimla Development plan: SC to pass detail order after Diwali recess

The Supreme court of India, on Tuesday assured the petitioner State of Himachal Pradesh that it would  pass a detailed order on the fate of the Shimla Development Plan as the apex court adjourned the matter till Diwali vacations.

The case regarding Shimla Development Plan was fixed before Double bench wherein the counsel for the petitioner Advocate General Anup Rattan presented his brief argument specifically regarding old multistorey delipated buildings where despite various public representations, the state is unable to provide any relief keeping in the view of National Green Tribunal order.

The state prayed for the implementation of Shimla Development Plan as submitted to the SC. He said that state could not consider and allow those construction in which people are seeking clearance to renovate and reconstruct unsafe and delipated buildings and people are still being permitted to live in such unsafe stracture and a number of cases are pending before the state. He said  that since last seven years number of cases are pending before the Town and country Department for giving permission as there is no provision of Shimla Development Plan under Himachal Pradesh Town and country Planning Act. He said that court has assured the petitioner to consider the issue of Shimla Development Plan in the previous hearing and state didn’t want to create litigation on the matter of Shimla Development Plan.

The case was listed before the DB of Justice BR Gavai and PK Mishra for adjudication of the matter and after patiently hearing, the court has passed their brief order whereby the bench assured to decide the matter by passing detailed order after Diwali vacation.

The counsel for the respondents Yogendra Mohan Sen advocate Sanjay Parikh and another counsel sought to adjourn the matter after Diwali holiday.

Earlier to this Himachal Pradesh High court and NGT had quashed the Shimla Development Plan which was however published by the Petitioner state on the directios of Supreme court but it could not be given approval untill apex court decided over the matter.