New Delhi, March 23 -- The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the West Bengal government's plea challenging a Calcutta High Court direction for blocking traffic on two consecutive weekend nights to enable construction of a 366-metre stretch of the city metro's Orange Line at Chingrighata, making it clear that development work cannot be halted on the grounds of festivals or upcoming elections.
A Bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi found no infirmity in the High Court's order and observed that the State's stand reflected an obstinate attitude aimed at delaying and stalling the project. The Court noted that citing the festival season and upcoming elections as reasons to avoid temporary traff...