The Supreme Court on Tuesday urged the Delhi government to implement regulatory measures for the movement of heavy vehicles within the national capital, marking a pivotal point in a long-standing legal discussion initiated by the Delhi Goods Transporters’ Association.
The directive was issued by a bench consisting of Justice Surya Kant and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh while they disposed of an appeal against a 2006 order by the Delhi High Court. The High Court had initially imposed a comprehensive 24-hour restriction on the movement of trucks inside the Outer Ring Road for loading and unloading activities, aiming to reduce congestion and pollution. However, this ban faced significant backlash from the local transport sector, citing severe disruptions to trade activities.
In their judgment, the Supreme Court stated, “The SLP (Special Leave Petition) is disposed of. However, this does not mean that the NCT (National Capital Territory) of Delhi will not take necessary measures for regulating the movement of heavy vehicles in the city. In this regard, if no regulatory measures have been taken so far, the state government will take appropriate decisions.”
The court’s decision comes after the top court had stayed the operation of the High Court’s ban in 2006 following an appeal by The Delhi Goods Transporters’ Association, which argued that the ban severely hampered trade and economic activities in the city. The association’s plea was that the interim order of the High Court, rather than the main petition, which was resolved in 2009, disrupted business operations.
Acknowledging the closure of the main petition by the Delhi High Court and recognizing the ongoing issues faced by transporters, the Supreme Court concluded there was no merit in keeping the plea pending. The top court also highlighted past directives from March and April 2006 by the High Court, which restricted truck movements within critical areas of the city such as Sadar Bazar and Qutub Road, and the consequential orders for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to enforce these restrictions strictly.
Additionally, the Supreme Court had tasked the environmental pollution control authority to assess the grievances presented by the transporters and to propose suitable guidelines for managing heavy vehicle traffic without stalling the economic pulse of the city.
