Appearing before the bench, environmentalist Subhas Dutta pointed to the delay in the preparation of an action plan by the state government in violation of the April 2007 directive of the High Court.

The High Court had earlier asked the state government to file the report within two months but almost a year has elapsed since then.

Dutta told the Bench that he had discussed the matter with the Advocate-General and the transport secretary last year and suggested various issues that the plan should lay emphasis on. But, Dutta alleged, the state and transport department did not take any concrete steps to come up with a plan.

In 2003, Dutta had filed a public interest litigation complaining that the “encroachments” on eight major roads, including Brabourne Road and Strand Road, and some others had contributed to traffic congestion in these areas.