SC’s green light to Siri Fort Games stadia

In a boost to the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the Supreme Court on Monday cleared the construction of basketball and squash courts at Siri Fort area for the major multi-disciplinary sporting event which was opposed at the site on environmental ground.

In a boost to the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the Supreme Court on Monday cleared the construction of basketball and squash courts at Siri Fort area for the major multi-disciplinary sporting event which was opposed at the site on environmental ground.

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The apex court also banned the use of underground parking at the complex due to security reasons.

The construction of the stadia was opposed as DDA has allegedly damaged the green belt of the Siri Fort area and even stretched the project to the forest area.

A special forest Bench, headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan and comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and SH Kapadia, said that in case of further uprooting of trees for construction purpose, the Delhi Development Authority will have to take approval of the apex court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC).

Charles Correa, architect and town planner appointed by the court to review the project in its totality, had slammed the DDA for ignoring all norms and laws for environmental clearance for the project.

The report had said 10 hectares of forest land has been encroached and there have been indiscriminate uprooting of the trees.