HC directs Govt
The J&K High Court has directed R&B department to make roads in Kashmir motorable even as it granted week’s time to union government to divulge steps taken for making Srinagar-Jammu highway travel-worthy.
A division bench of Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar and Justice B S Walia passed the directions after hearing S A Makroo, Assistant Solicitor General of India, who sought one week’s time so as to enable him inform the court about the steps taken for making the highway motorable, at least up to Qazigund.
He submitted that steps will be taken on war footing to restore the road to a condition which will enable the commuters to have smooth and hassle-free travel.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Civil Society Tral through Advocate G N Shaheen.
Last week the court had issued notice to state government, Director General National Highway Authority of India, project manager NHAI, Director General BRO as well as Managing Director and project manager Ramky Infrastructure for reply to the PIL.
While the petitioner seeks directions for repairing the highway from Jammu to Srinagar especially from Banihal to Srinagar and Srinagar to Baramulla, it also seeks to macadamize the existing old NH1A to make it fit for vehicular traffic to the minimum international and national standards for the convenience of general public.
The civil society also seeks directions to the concerned authorities to constitute a team of experts for spot inspection and conduct of survey of NH1A and link roads of Kashmir to assess the gravity of dilapidated condition of the roads.
The committee, the petitioners pleaded, should be directed to submit a detailed report with complete remedial suggestions in a time-bound manner.
The civil society pleads for fixing liability of maintenance of the existing HH1A from Jammu to Srinagar for the purpose of maintenance and development on a war-footing. It also seeks directions to authorities including the police to take action against the residents involved in directing the flow of sewage water on the roads across the state.
The petitioners plead that Chief Engineers of R&B Kashmir and Jammu should be directed to submit a detailed report of the strength of the road guards and coolies and explain why such employees are paid from the state exchequer when they never work practically to maintain the roads and prevent damages.
The petitioners said neither Border Roads Organization, nor the Ramky Infrastructure Limited or the R&B Department are making repairs of the road for past more than 6 years.
“The entire road especially from Ramban to Srinagar is in dilapidated condition with pits and ditches all along which cannot be explained in words. The road is not maintained at all by any of the agencies and even the State government or the Central Government is not taking any step for its repairs,” the PIL states.
Additional Advocate General M AChashoo represented the government.
