New Delhi, 3 May

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the opening of a road outside Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s residence in Chandigarh on an experimental basis.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta noted that both the Centre and Punjab government have opposed the opening of the road, which has been closed since the 1980s, owing to a threat perception.

The bench issued notice on a plea filed by the Punjab government and sought response of administration of Union Territory of Chandigarh by September 2.

The top court noted that the road was closed in the 1980s during the height of terrorism in Punjab.

On April 22, the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered opening of the 500-metre road, connecting Sukhna Lake to Nayagaon in Chandigarh, on a trial basis from May 1.

The high court had also directed the Chandigarh Police to engage traffic experts for preparing a traffic management plan for the road that was to be opened from 7 am to 7 pm on working days.

Since the closure of the road, people moving between Nayagaon and Sukhna Lake were forced to take long detours via adjacent sectors of the city.