Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Feb 17: While hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by Civil Society Tral on highway widening, a Division Bench (DB) of Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey and Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul directed Govt as well as Chairman to file status/ compliance report.
When PIL came-up for hearing, Division Bench observed that in terms of order dated 10th of February, 2020, the Division Bench directed the Chief Secretary of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir shall convene a meeting of the Commissioners /Secretaries to Government, Revenue Department; Power Development Department; and Forest Department and ascertain the difficulties, concerning the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, being faced by the National Highways Authority of India in the competition of the entire project, as detailed out by them in their status report/ response and extracted hereinabove, and issue all possible directions to the concerned authorities for their removal at the earliest; The Commissioner/ Secretary to Government, Revenue Department, who shall be the Nodal Officer in the aforesaid process, shall place the compliance of this order before this Court by the next date of hearing; The National Highways Authority of India, through its Chairman, shall, by the next date of hearing, also update their status report/ response by supplying all the details regarding pending cases before any wing of this High Court as well as the other subordinate Courts alongwith copies of all orders passed thereon from time to time restraining the Authority to proceed ahead in the matter, mention whereof has been made by the Authority in its status report/ response; and also believe that the existing condition of the roads, stretching right from Udhampur to Chenani and Chenani to Banihal, is precariously shabby and that the concerned Contractors are not maintaining the said roads as per the required level. We hope and trust that all possible efforts are taken by the concerned authorities in the Government of Jammu and Kashmir as well as in the National Highways Authority of India so as to redress this concern. Let the matter come up for further consideration on 9th of March, 2020.
Division Bench comprising Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey and Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul after perusal of the pleadings on record, feels that no effective progress is, in fact, made with regard to the aforesaid directions passed by this Court and directed that Sr. AAG B. A. Dar, the, to update the status of the compliance of the directions passed by this Court on 10th of February, 2020 (supra) by the next date of hearing.
DB further observed that insofar as the aforesaid directions passed by this Court qua National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Mr N. A. Baba, the learned counsel, incidentally available in the Court, submits that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is now represented by Mr Abdul Majeed Zargar, Advocate, who is not available today and directed Registry to send a copy of this order to the Chairman, National Highways Authority of India, so as to ensure filing of updated status/ compliance report as also appearance of counsel on behalf of the Authority on the next date of hearing.
—JNF |
