The Delhi High Court issued stern directives on Friday for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi Police to address the deficiencies and rampant illegal activities in the Chandni Chowk area, describing the situation as a “shocking state of affairs.”
During the session, the bench, led by Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, reviewed photographs depicting the current state of Chandni Chowk, noting visible gambling and apparent drug use in public spaces. “What are the police doing? Are they aware of the ground reality? How can people stay there (in public spaces)?” questioned Chief Justice Manmohan.
The court criticized the inefficiency of the Public Works Department (PWD) officers and the alleged corruption among police officials, suggesting a breakdown of enforcement in the historically rich but now deteriorating area. “It seems the police have become helpless. This gives a bad name to police,” the bench commented.
In response to these observations, the court has ordered the MCD, PWD, Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation Limited (SRDC), Delhi Police, and Traffic Police to submit their status reports within two weeks and mandated the presence of the deputy commissioner of police and a senior PWD officer at the next hearing on December 13.
The court was responding to a public interest litigation brought by the Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal, which highlighted the neglected and disturbing conditions within the Chandni Chowk Redevelopment Project area. The petitioner has called for immediate action to remove damage and illegal activities, stressing the wastage of public funds exceeding Rs 140 crore spent on redevelopment efforts due to ongoing mismanagement and neglect.
Senior advocate Sanjeev Ralli, representing the petitioner, argued that the authorities had failed to maintain the area, with various agencies shifting blame onto each other. He noted that conditions in Chandni Chowk only deteriorated once judicial monitoring ceased, suggesting that continuous oversight had previously kept the situation in check.
The court lamented the inefficacy of local governance, noting that regular visits by beat officials appeared more focused on collections rather than addressing the underlying issues. “PWD has to make arrangements. It is not making adequate arrangements for homeless people. Nothing has been done that is why these homeless people are staying here on roads,” added the bench.
