The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to restrain the Municipal Corporation of Delhi from sealing allegedly unauthorised constructions within a Delhi Metro railway station premises in the city.
Justice Manmohan Singh passed the order on a petition filed by the Delhi Metro seeking to stay the sealing action which was launched on Tuesday by the civic body.
The Metro authorities moved the High Court on Wednesday pleading for an urgent hearing.
The MCD had sealed a commercial complex housing outlets of reputed brands at the Inderlok metro station premises on Tuesday alleging that a private developer had constructed it without authorisation from the civic body. It sealed about 59 points at 47 entry gates to the complex which had shops of well-known brands like Comesum, McDonald's, Raymond's and Big Bazaar.
The MCD said a show-cause notice dated September 15, 2009 was issued to the firm for unauthorised construction of the shopping mall and after giving several opportunities for personal hearing and considering written submissions, a sealing order was issued in March this year.
Rules violated
The civic agency had said the private developer who constructed the mall after an agreement with the Metro had violated rules as no sanction had been taken from the civic body under building by-laws. It had also said there was no dispute between it and the Metro in this regard and the “violations have been solely carried out” by the private firm. However, the Delhi Metro maintained that the shopping complex at Inderlok is part of an operational structure of the Metro and no prior permission is required from civic authorities.
