The Supreme Court bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan issued an order today demanding the Centre install a pedestrian crossing near the Delhi High Court on Mathura Road, warning that lawyers would sit on dharna until the next hearing if the decision is not taken.
That warning echoes the Court’s June 19 judgement, which declared the right to walk on properly demarcated footpaths a fundamental right under Article 19(1)(d). In that ruling, the Court also directed the Centre to designate a central authority capable of ensuring footpaths on all roads and to pilot the provision in five towns.
During the hearing, Justice Pardiwala called the lack of a crossing a serious lapse, while Justice Viswanathan added that the area witnesses heavy foot traffic from court visitors and the public. Senior advocate Gaurav Agarwal, acting as amicus, noted that a red‑light system had been installed but that speed breakers and rumble strips are still missing.
The government’s response was brief. Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj was asked to submit a report on the proposed authority at the next hearing, and the Centre was instructed to identify either an existing body or create a new one in the interim.
For the people, the issue is palpable. A lawyer waiting outside the High Court told reporters that he has to cross a narrow, uneven stretch of road every morning, a job that feels more like a daily gamble than a simple commute.
The Centre now faces a tight deadline: it must name the central authority and announce the pilot towns within 30 days, or the lawyers’ dharna could turn into a prolonged protest that disrupts court proceedings. The next hearing is scheduled for early November, when the Court will review the Centre’s progress.