A petition seeking permission to build a foot-over bridge for Indian Army personnel and the public at the Rajputana Rifles Regimental Centre in Delhi Cantonment was denied by the Delhi High Court on Wednesday.

The panel, which included Justice Tushar Rao Gerela and Acting Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru, dismissed the plea and directed the appropriate authorities to determine if a foot-over bridge was necessary. Noting that no judicial action was required, the court said, “We are not convinced that any specific directions should be issued to the authorities.”

Through Advocates Paras Tyagi and Aditya Tanwar, the NGO Centre for Youth Culture Law & Environment filed the petition, requesting judicial intervention on the grounds that the respondent authorities were causing delays in the public welfare project, which expert assessments had determined was essential.

The appeal contended that since the respondents hold the property, Indian Army personnel are unable to build the foot-over bridge (FOB) on their own because of a number of administrative, political, and sociological obstacles as well as Army procedures. The petitioners said that the statutory entities in charge of constructing the FOB had disregarded the matter since 2010, demonstrating contempt of court and a lack of respect for the rule of law.

The petitioners said that the FOB might have already been constructed if the respondents hadn’t postponed the project for personal reasons. They voiced fear that troops, their families, and the general public will continue to endure cruel circumstances if the issue is ignored any longer.

They said that individuals impacted had endured needless shame and suffering as a result of the postponement of such a basic infrastructure project. The petition emphasized that such public welfare initiatives directly affect the well-being of Indian Army troops and civilians living in neighborhoods like Delhi Cantonment and requested for the establishment of a strategy for them.

The petition stressed how important it is for the general population’s convenience and the welfare of military personnel that public infrastructure, like the FOB, be delivered on schedule.