The Bombay High Court expressed strong objection to closing of roads by the Traffic Police Department to facilitate smooth travelling of VVIPs visiting the city and VIPs like the state chief minister, home minister and other ministers.
"During the recent visit of the President Pratibha Patil, all signals on the road towards Mantralaya were closed. Why can't authorities advise the President not to keep any programmes during peak hours," a division bench of Justices D K Deshmukh and K K Tated questioned while hearing a public interest litigation filed by the Bombay Bar Association.
"Whenever the chief minister's convoy passes through his bungalow Varsha, the entire traffic is disrupted till Mantralaya. The same is the case with the home minister. If they are in such a hurry to reach their offices why don't they start early," Justice Deshmukh said.
The court further remarked that the VIPs should be advised to not travel in peak hours so that the common man does not have to suffer. "As it is traffic in this city is horrible. Closing the signal for a few minutes is fine but not for hours," the court observed.
Government pleader Dhairyasheel Nalawade argued that the schedules of VVIPs and VIPs are not decided by the Traffic Department. The court has directed Nalawade to seek further instructions from the Traffic Department and adjourned the matter till February 14.
