The Allahabad high court has restrained the entry and parking of any vehicle in Chandra Shekhar Azad Park, which is also known as Company Bagh at Prayagraj. The court also directed that no construction activities whether temporary or permanent will be carried out in the park without leave of this court.
The bench comprising Justice Ajit Kumar and Justice Garima Prasad further directed the concerned authority of Azad Park to ensure that the jogger’s track inside the park remains absolutely maintained and hindrance-free.
The order was passed after hearing a petition filed by Bhupendra Pandey who moved the court against the construction of a new museum gate in Chandra Shekhar Azad Park, alleging that such construction would deface the oasis, i.e., the green areas in the city’s concrete jungle.
It was contended by the counsel contended that the entire Azad Park is a protected heritage green park, and therefore, no construction activity whatsoever should be permitted. It is submitted that even previously the high court as well as the Supreme Court directed for no further new construction activity to be carried out inside the park. It was also argued that the proposed new gate would damage the joggers’ track inside the park.
It was also argued by the counsel for the petitioner that vehicles are being permitted inside Azad Park whereas there are clear directives issued by Division Bench of this court in the case of Arun Kumar in 1987 that neither any movement of vehicle would be permitted inside the park nor, any vehicle would be parked.
{{/usCountry}}It was also argued by the counsel for the petitioner that vehicles are being permitted inside Azad Park whereas there are clear directives issued by Division Bench of this court in the case of Arun Kumar in 1987 that neither any movement of vehicle would be permitted inside the park nor, any vehicle would be parked.
{{/usCountry}}On the other hand the additional solicitor general of India SP Singh said that another bench of the court had permitted opening of a gate to the national museum.
After hearing counsels for the parties the court permitted the petitioners’ counsel to implead Central Museum, Prayagraj through its Director/ Incharge Director forthwith as fifth respondent and further Union of India as sixth respondent and Amar Shaheed Chandra Shekhar Azad Smriti Udyan, Prayagraj (Chandra Shekhar Azad Park) through its Director as seventh respondent in the petition and fixed August 31 next for hearing in the matter.
The court in its order dated July 30 directed: “In the meanwhile and until further orders of this Court, it is hereby provided that there will be no movement of vehicle inside the park except that of the Governor or any such other high dignitary who visits the Museum and there will be no parking of any other vehicle at all and no construction activities whether temporary or permanent will be carried out in Chandra Shekhar Azad Park either by Museum or any other authority without leave of this Court. However, the concerned authority of the Azad Park shall ensure that jogger’s track inside the park remains absolutely maintained and hindrance free.”