SC rap for MCD over rickshaws

The Supreme Court on Friday admonished the “insensitive” Municipal Corporation of Delhi for moving against the rickshaw pullers the “weakest section” of the society by wanting to put a cap on the number of rickshaws plying in the Capital. HT reports

The Supreme Court on Friday admonished the “insensitive” Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for moving against the rickshaw pullers the “weakest section” of the society by wanting to put a cap on the number of rickshaws plying in the Capital.

HT Image

A bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly refused to stay a Delhi High Court verdict that had struck down three provisions of the MCD bye law restricting the number of rickshaws in the city.

Senior advocate Ravi Shankar Prasad and Sanjeev Sen made persistent pleas before the court that the HC had deprived the corporation of its power to even take action against a rickshaw puller if there was a violation of the license. “There is a mafia operating in the Capital If we do not restrict them, they can create traffic havoc,” the counsel said.

At this the court said, “You are concerned by the traffic jams caused by the rickshaws. Ninety per cent of the autos and buses are benami. And we do not want to say who it belongs to.”

The MCD counsel was stumped when the bench asked them if there was any cap on the private vehicles plying on the roads.