New Delhi [India], June 18: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Public Works Department (PWD) to hold a joint meeting with the Delhi Cantonment Board and other civic agencies to finalise a long-pending plan for constructing a Foot Over Bridge (FOB) for the Rajputana Rifles soldiers, who currently have to wade through a drain to access their parade ground from the barracks.
The court is hearing a suo moto petition, initiated after a media report highlighted the undignified conditions faced by the soldiers.
A division bench comprising Justices Parthiba M Singh and Rajneesh Kumar Gupta instructed the PWD, Delhi Traffic Police, and the Cantonment Board to coordinate and submit a detailed proposal—including design, budget, and a timeline for construction—to the court.
The bench also granted the PWD liberty to involve other agencies, if needed, to expedite the process.
In view of the ongoing monsoon season, the court also directed authorities to ensure that there is no waterlogging in the area, especially around the open drains.
The court observed that the FOB had been approved a long time ago and questioned the delay in its implementation.
Earlier, on May 30, the bench had asked for a joint meeting between stakeholders and had also directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) to consider the installation of a traffic signal to assist the soldiers in crossing the road safely, without disrupting vehicular flow.
The matter first came to the court’s attention on May 26, following widespread media coverage about soldiers being forced to cross a foul-smelling drain to reach their training ground—prompting swift judicial intervention.