Police Initiates Cleaning Up of Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh Stretch

Delhi HC asked the police to look into the issue while also keeping in mind maintenance of law and order.

Women during a sit-in protest organised at Shaheen Bagh

(Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons)

Police has initiated the process of clearing the Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch in Delhi, which was blocked for a month by people protesting against the amended citizenship law, after the Delhi High Court directed the city police to look into traffic restrictions on the stretch, while keeping in mind the larger public interest.

“The police has power to control traffic in such areas,” the high court said while issuing the direction.

A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar asked the police to look into the issue while also keeping in mind maintenance of law and order.

The court passed the order while disposing of a PIL filed by advocate and social activist Amit Sahni seeking a direction to the Delhi Police Commissioner to lift restrictions on Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh Stretch and Okhla underpass, which were closed on December 15, 2019 for ongoing protests against CAA and National Register of Citizen (NRC).

It was a temporary measure but has been extended from time to time.

The Kalindi Kunj stretch is vital as it connects Delhi, Faridabad (Haryana) and Noida (Uttar Pradesh) and commuters are forced to take the Delhi-Noida-Delhi (DND) Expressway and Ashram, which is causing hours of traffic jams and wastage of time and fuel, it said.

(With PTI inputs)