NEW DELHI: Delhi high court on Wednesday demanded an answer from the National Monuments Authority (NMA) and the Heritage Conservation Commitee (HCC) why they were opposed to Delhi government’s redevelopment plan for Chandni Chowk.

A bench of justices S Muralidhar and Sanjeev Narula asked senior officers from both the bodies to appear before it on the next date to explain the reason behind slapping PWD with notices asking it to stop work in the Chandni Chowk area, a project being monitored closely by the court. 

HC also gave DUAC ten days’ time to decide an application filed by the Public Works Department, seeking permission to carry out construction in the area that also includes building of an ambitious parking lot. The court said if DUAC fails to decide the plea of the civic agency, its senior officer will also remain present in court on the next date. 

Its directions came after PWD and Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRC) informed the bench that they received stop work notices during their construction work in Chandni Chowk, while the court was taking stock of progress. 

HC is monitoring the redevelopment work and steps in every time there is an impasse. 

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