The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to inspect a popular mall Select City Walk, to find out if the kiosks inside it posed a risk to public health or safety.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Harishankar issued the directions while hearing a PIL alleging that commercial activities inside the open areas of two popular south Delhi malls — Select City and DLF — could pose a risk to public safety if there was a fire or an earthquake.
The court had earlier said that if there were any illegal commercial activities blocking the entry or exit points in the malls, it could lead to a situation like the 1997 Uphaar tragedy which had claimed 59 lives.
The plea had claimed that the two malls have violated fire safety rules and national building codes which mandate that there would be no encroachment of common areas, exits, terraces and other open areas.
However, the malls refuted charges levelled against them. They were also supported by the Delhi Fire Services which said that they did not find any violation during an inspection conducted by them on August 28 at the premises of the mall.
A reply was also sought by the police which said that while it was not empowered to remove or demolish any encroachment inside the malls, it will provide adequate assistance to the civic agencies which would undertake such an exercise.
In a reply filed by Select Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, the owner of the Select City Walk, stated that the kiosks in the open areas were neither unauthorised nor a misuse, and no risk was caused to the public health or safety by them.
Meanwhile, the petitioner, advocate Jeetender Gupta, has in his PIL had sought directions to the authorities to remove or demolish encroachments, obstructions or alterations in the open or common areas, entries and exits.
NOT A RISK?
- A PIL claimed that two malls have violated the fire safety rules and national building code.
- However, the malls refuted the charges levelled against them, and were also supported by the Delhi Fire Services
