New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked whether the money received from the government treasury should be used to build housing, health and educational facilities for the poor or to lay cycle tracks in the country. While hearing a petition seeking construction of separate cycle tracks across the country, a bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Ujjwal Bhuyan said that development in the country is not uniform.

Serious problem of housing facilities for the poor- Court

The bench asked the counsel for the petitioner, "Tell us whether the money received from the government exchequer should be used to create residential and educational facilities for the poor or for this (creating separate cycle tracks)?" The apex court also said, "There is a serious problem of housing facilities for the poor in all major cities. People are living in slums. There is lack of health facilities, educational facilities for the poor. Should all these basic facilities be provided or these cycle tracks?"

There is a cycle track outside the gate of the apex court- petitioner

The court at the outset referred to the petitioner's request and wondered if such relief could be granted. "You want separate cycle tracks to be built across India. This is very ambitious," the bench said. The petitioner's counsel said there are cycle tracks in several states. He said there is a cycle track even outside one of the gates of the apex court but it is not available at the turn.

The lawyer cited pollution in winter

The counsel for the petitioner cited the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme, which focuses on developing infrastructure in select cities and towns. "How can we issue such a mandamus (to build a separate cycle track), it is a daydream of the petitioner," the bench said. The counsel cited the issue of pollution in Delhi-NCR during winters and said having separate cycle tracks could help reduce the problem. The bench posted the matter for further hearing on February 10.