UP Govt gets SC nod for building temporary structures in Ambedkar Park

The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Mayawati Government to carry out temporary constructions at the Ambedkar Park in Gomti Nagar...

The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Mayawati Government to carry out temporary constructions at the Ambedkar Park in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, in view of celebrations planned for the Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14.

The relief for the Uttar Pradesh Government came from a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran. The state Government had appealed to the apex court to stay a “status quo” order of the Allahabad High Court.

In an interim order on a PIL, the high court on Friday had directed the Mayawati Government to maintain status quo on the construction activities in the Ambedkar Park where, after changing the land use of 35 acres, the state Government had undertaken construction activities for setting up the Kanshi Ram Research Institute. The PIL filed by a voluntary organisation challenges the decision of the authorities to change the green area’s land use. While refusing to stay the high court order, the Supreme Court clarified to the state Government that its order would be confined to the renovation work in the park for the birth anniversary celebrations of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar. It also made it clear that no permanent structure would be allowed to be erected in and around the vicinity of the park. The state Government had filed the appeal against the Allahabad High Court order on Monday.

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Senior advocates Harish Salve and S C Mishra, who mentioned the matter for an urgent direction, contended that urgent hearing on the matter was necessary as a function was to be organised on April 14 at the park, which has a statue of Ambedkar.

The apex Bench has posted the matter for further direction on April 21.