The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a plea challenging an order of the Bombay High Court which had declined to stay the construction work for a passenger jetty and terminal facilities project near the Gateway of India.
A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih noted that the high court is seized of the matter and is slated to hear it on June 16.
"Something good is happening for the city. Everybody oppose coastal road. Now you see what is the benefit of a coastal road. A person from South Mumbai can reach Versova in 40 minutes. Earlier, it used to take three hours," the CJI observed.
The bench sought to know whether the authorities have got the necessary clearances for the project.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for Maharashtra, referred to the seven permissions which were taken for the project.
The counsel appearing for the petitioners said the project is slated to be completed within two years.
"This huge project is going to come up for the benefit of only a particular section of society and this is coming up without any public hearing, without any clearances," the counsel claimed.
He alleged that the plan was pushed through in 2025 and the petitioners had approached the high court objecting to it.
Bhati said the claim by the petitioners that this facility would cater only to the VIPs was "absolutely wrong".
"I can assure you that it is a public infrastructure project. It is for daily commuters," the law officer said.
The CJI observed, "This is like not in my front yard."
"Like everybody wants sewage treatment plants but everybody says not behind my place," the CJI said.
The bench said it was not inclined to hear the plea since the high court was already seized of the matter.
It requested the high court to take up the matter and decide it as expeditiously as possible.
The high court had refused to stay the construction work, noting that the project was in public interest.
It, however, had said the construction work would be subject to the outcome of the petition filed against the project.
The government had earlier assured the high court that the wall near the Gateway of India, marked for demolition as part of the passenger jetty project, will not be demolished till the next date of hearing.
A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih noted that the high court is seized of the matter and is slated to hear it on June 16.
"Something good is happening for the city. Everybody oppose coastal road. Now you see what is the benefit of a coastal road. A person from South Mumbai can reach Versova in 40 minutes. Earlier, it used to take three hours," the CJI observed.
The bench sought to know whether the authorities have got the necessary clearances for the project.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for Maharashtra, referred to the seven permissions which were taken for the project.
The counsel appearing for the petitioners said the project is slated to be completed within two years.
"This huge project is going to come up for the benefit of only a particular section of society and this is coming up without any public hearing, without any clearances," the counsel claimed.
He alleged that the plan was pushed through in 2025 and the petitioners had approached the high court objecting to it.
Bhati said the claim by the petitioners that this facility would cater only to the VIPs was "absolutely wrong".
"I can assure you that it is a public infrastructure project. It is for daily commuters," the law officer said.
The CJI observed, "This is like not in my front yard."
"Like everybody wants sewage treatment plants but everybody says not behind my place," the CJI said.
The bench said it was not inclined to hear the plea since the high court was already seized of the matter.
It requested the high court to take up the matter and decide it as expeditiously as possible.
The high court had refused to stay the construction work, noting that the project was in public interest.
It, however, had said the construction work would be subject to the outcome of the petition filed against the project.
The government had earlier assured the high court that the wall near the Gateway of India, marked for demolition as part of the passenger jetty project, will not be demolished till the next date of hearing.
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