SHILLONG: The High Court of Meghalaya on Tuesday issued fresh orders in regard to maintenance of national highways in the state, including Umsning Town road.
During the hearing, counsel C Baruah appearing for the respondent-NHAI, submitted that necessary repair work was going on in full swing and while the potholes have been filled up, blacktopping and overlay work for about 300 meters have already been completed.
The counsel also submitted that as per instructions from NHAI, complete overlay of the stretch in question would be achieved within the next 50 days at the most.
Suraj Panthi, the amicus curiae submitted a detailed report of his visits to the site pursuant to the order passed by the court wherefrom it appeared that he had visited the site every day from October 25 until Monday.
The amicus curiae also placed before the court two volumes of photographs of the site and a compact disc containing video recordings of the same. The court order added that it appeared that NHAI has now taken up the tasks and the work was being undertaken but it was expected that the work would be carried out with reasonable expedition.
“Needless to say that apart from the Umsning road as hitherto been referred in this matter, it is required of the NHAI to ensure that any other damaged part of NH-6 is also simultaneously taken up for mending and necessary repair. Having regard to the circumstances of the case, we would now expect the amicus curiae to visit the site on the coming Saturdays (November 4 and November 11, 2017) and to report about the progress made with photographs and videography, if required,” court said.
According to the court, the arrangement as ordered on October 24 shall apply for the forthcoming visits of the amicus curiae and added that the latter may supply the particulars of his bank account to the respondent-NHAI, which shall ensure the remittance of payment as ordered earlier. The amicus curiae may also submit all the bills of expenditure incurred in this matter; and the respondent-NHAI shall ensure payment to him without delay.
The court also felt that considering the nature of work to be carried out, it goes without saying that proper traffic management at the site during the execution of work is required to be ensured and in that regard, the superintendent of police (traffic), Ri Bhoi district, Nongpoh, must make proper arrangements including deployment of necessary personnel for regulating the traffic in aid of NHAI.
Government advocate S Sen Gupta assured that the concerned SP (traffic) shall ensure compliance and shall make necessary arrangements so that there is least amount of inconvenience to the traffic on the road during the execution of this work.
K Paul, counsel practicing in the court, filed an application seeking to intervene in the matter with reference to the miserable condition of NH-44 from Jowai-Ratacherra-Silchar while, inter alia, alleging that because of deplorable road conditions, a commercial vehicle on the road capsized on October 16 and fell on other vehicles, leading to the death of eight persons.
The truck concerned apparently was carrying coal for transportation, which is currently banned in Meghalaya by the National Green Tribunal.
The applicant filed certain photographs of the accident. A copy of the application was supplied to the counsel for NHAI.
The court said the counsel for the respondents may submit their response to the application before the next date.
Another aspect of the matter which surfaced during the course of submissions was that the stretch of road from Shillong to Umiam before reaching NH-6, which is maintained by state PWD (roads), was in a bad shape and required urgent repair.
In this regard, S Sen Gupta, after taking instructions and in the presence of chief engineer (National Highway Roads), Shillong, submitted that the department was taking all the necessary steps and shall further expedite the process so as to take all corrective measures at the earliest.
Taking note of the submissions made, the court deferred consideration of the matter on Tuesday but directed the government advocate to state on the next date the progress made for repair and mending of the road from Shillong to Umiam.
The matter has been listed for hearing on November 14.
