No need for Tribune flyover, High Court told

Chandigarh, November 21

Senior advocate and secretary general of the Sarin Memorial Legal Aid Foundation Manmohan Lal Sarin today moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking permission to intervene in the Tribune flyover matter.

Among other things, Sarin stated he was greatly concerned with the quality of air and life and generally opposed the Tribune flyover’s construction. Sarin, through counsel Nitin Sarin and Ritesh Aggarwal, contended that he was a resident of Chandigarh since January 1, 1955, and had filed objections, besides attending public hearing, following a public notice issued by the UT Administration.

The suggestions and objections, filed by Sarin, were also placed before the High Court in an affidavit enclosed along with the plea. Sarin said Chandigarh was planned as a city for 5,00,000 inhabitants with strict architectural controls, especially restricting the height of buildings in order not to obstruct the view of the mountains. The buildings of the Capitol Complex were also designed in such a way as to further the objective. The proposed flyover will totally destroy the one-level concept of Chandigarh. Sarin added that there was no need for a flyover. The traffic would flow smoothly if everyone followed traffic rules. Violation of traffic rules led to traffic snarls not only at the Tribune Chowk but across the city.

“The proposed flyover will only shift the so-called traffic blockades to the following roundabout and will not eliminate the same. The City Beautiful has been planned keeping the environment in mind and is one of the greenest cities in the country. However, we are fast becoming a polluted city by not regulating the number of vehicles in the city. Unless and until that is done, the problem of traffic snarls will continue,” he said.

The matter was brought to the High Court’s notice by “Run Club”. It was seeking directions for restraining the UT and other respondents from cutting trees existing on both sides of Dakshin Marg and Purv Marg for the flyover’s construction.