Chandigarh, Oct. 7 -- The Rs.61-crore multi-level parking project at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), built on a 26,000-square-metre area, is likely to be back on track after remaining stalled for 15 months, with the Supreme Court (SC) now clarifying the legal position on post-facto (retrospective) environmental clearance The project was halted last year after an audit team found that the institute had not taken the mandatory clearance before starting construction. By then, PGIMER had already completed 70% of the construction work. The 2006 Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification, issued by the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC), makes prior environmental clearance mandatory for new projects and expansion listed in its schedule. After the audit objection, PGIMER was unable to apply for the clearance after the construction as the matter was pending before the Supreme Court in the Vanashakti v Union of India case. The apex court delivered the judgment in this case on July 29, 2026. With this, the PGIMER is now in the process of hiring an environment consultant who will make a viable environment management plan for the parking project and advise the institute on how to move further on applying for the clearance. The institute is taking legal advice on the matter on how to proceed as per the SC judgement. While the SC judgment is out, PGIMER will have to plan its next move carefully as the three-judge bench reaffirmed the requirement under the 2006 EIA notification to obtain EC before starting a project. It also quashed the 2021 executive office memorandum that had laid down a standard operating procedure for obtaining the clearance after construction had begun. The bench, comprising chief justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi, also held that the 2017 notification had provided a one-time window for projects that had started without prior EC. While clearances already granted under the framework will stand and pending applications are to be decided, fresh applications for post-construction clearances under the quashed 2021 office memorandum are not permissible. It is therefore unlikely that PGIMER will seek clearance under the 2021 memorandum. However, Under Article 142, the SC can still use its inherent powers in appropriate cases. It is unclear how PGIMER is going to move ahead with the given judgement. "As the judgement of the SC has been pronounced, the case for obtaining clearance for multi-level parking will be processed as per environment ministry's policies and judgement of the Hon'ble SC," said an official spokesperson of PGIMER....