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Synopsis

While dismissing a plea seeking directions to the police to remove certain blockades on the Mathura road crossing, the Delhi High Court on Monday observed that the traffic authorities are the best judges to decide the issue of regulation of traffic in the city.

The division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad also said, “this Court while exercising its jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India is not inclined to sit over as an Appellate Authority over the decisions taken by the traffic authorities for regulating the movement of traffic in the city”.

The court was dealing with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), by Advocate Mamta Rani, who sought removal of barricades placed on the crossings of Mathura Road, preventing a right turn while approaching either the Supreme Court main building or the Delhi High Court from the additional building of the Supreme Court.

The plea stated that due to the barricades, a distance of about 300-400 meters while travelling from the apex court’s additional building to its main building has increased to more than 5 kilometers, which is not only time consuming but also causes wastage of fuel.

The Delhi government’s standing counsel submitted that for the first time, the stretch has become signal and congestion-free and it is a permanent arrangement now.

The bench took note of the fact of a number of cars that are parked on the roads in front of the High Court and in the lanes alongside the Court, which causes a traffic hindrance. “Traffic control is the sole domain of the Traffic Police. It is well settled that Courts do not run the country and it is up to the administration to take decisions for smooth functioning of the Government”, it said.

Conclusively, the court held, “In view of the above, this Court is not inclined to entertain the instant PIL. Resultantly, the PIL is dismissed, along with pending application(s), if any”.

Case Title: Mamta Rani v. Government of NCT of Delhi & Anr.