Delhi HC sets up task force to make revamp plan for Anand Vihar bus terminal

The court instructed the PWD to engage a qualified architect to prepare a detailed redevelopment plan, including sketches and 3D electronic representations of the proposed landscaping.

New Delhi The Delhi high court has set up a special task force, headed by joint secretary of the urban development department, to prepare a comprehensive plan for beautification, development, and maintenance of the Anand Vihar Bus Terminal area, observing that the terminal’s redevelopment cannot be carried out by any single agency independently.

The court directed the task force to identify designated spaces for authorised street vendors, ensuring that vending activities are carried out cleanly and hygienically. (HT archive)

The task force, constituted by a bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Madhu Jain on May 5, comprises officials from the municipal corporation of Delhi (MCD), public works department (PWD), Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), Delhi Transport Department, Indian Railways, Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), National Capital Region Transport Corporation, and the Irrigation and Flood Control Department (I&FC).

In its detailed order released later, the court directed the task force to hold its first meeting on May 20 and instructed the PWD to engage a qualified architect to prepare a detailed redevelopment plan, including sketches and 3D electronic representations of the proposed landscaping and beautification works.

It also directed the task force to identify designated spaces for authorised street vendors, ensuring that vending activities are carried out cleanly and hygienically.

The order was passed in a petition filed by the Mahila Hawkers Welfare Association seeking directions to permit its members to vend peacefully near the Anand Vihar Bus Stand.

In January, the court issued detailed directions for the beautification and redevelopment of the Anand Vihar Bus Terminal area. These included creating a service road to facilitate smooth drop-offs for passengers arriving by cabs, auto-rickshaws, three-wheelers, and other modes of transport before they enter the railway station or bus stand.

The court had also directed that the area be replanned, landscaped, tiled, and equipped with facilities such as shops, cafes, rest areas, and sanitation amenities in a manner that does not obstruct free passenger movement. Additionally, the MCD was directed to prepare a comprehensive beautification plan for the area with the assistance of an architect.

On March 30, the court asked the Delhi government to clarify which authority would bear the cost of beautification.

In response, the government submitted that the project would require coordination among multiple agencies, including the urban development department, MCD, Delhi Transport Department, Indian Railways, DMRC, the RRTS managed by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation, and the Irrigation and Flood Control Department.