By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 20: The High Court of Meghalaya has directed the regional head (Northeast) of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to drive the stretch from Jowai to Ratacherra within the next week and submit a report on the condition of the road as well as the steps that will be taken immediately.
After hearing a PIL, the court said while the NHAI claimed the stretch of the road in question is in a good condition, except for stretches on either side of the Sonapur tunnel, the reality is different.
“For the nearly 2-km stretch as the NH-6 winds through Khliehriat town it may not be surprising to see local gentlemen with fishing rods on the side waiting for a spot of rain to allow them to indulge in fishing in the craters along the way,” a division bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice B Bhattacharjee said in an order.
“Further down and beyond Khliehriat, the road almost does not exist and there have been repeated complaints by local residents and the district administration and even a committee of MLAs to the NHAI, but to no avail,” the bench further said.
The court said the matter came to light in the course of a legal awareness camp conducted last weekend near Khliehriat and the locals complained of the pitiable condition of the road up to Ratacherra.
According to the court, there were also reports that a Central agency had undertaken an investigation and questioned some NHAI officials and representatives of the contractors, which resulted in NHAI taking little or no notice of the crucial stretch of the road that connects the rest of the country to the Barak Valley, Tripura and Mizoram in particular.
“It does not appear that adequate money has been allocated to carry out the regular repair work. It also appears that offers may have been invited for some stretches of the road with no takers or a solitary offer being received,” the court said.
“It would do well for the regional head of the NHAI in the North-East to personally visit the site and drive the stretch from Jowai to Ratacherra and file a report, both as to the condition of the road and as to steps that would be taken immediately,” the court said.
Stating that the present condition results in trucks and other vehicles regularly turning turtle or meeting with a breakdown that further impedes the flow of traffic, the court directed the counsel appearing for NHAI to ensure that the highest-ranking official of NHAI posted in the Northeast travels the stretch of the road within the next week so that a report is filed by the end of next week.
The court said the present condition of the stretch of the road is totally unacceptable – monsoon or otherwise.
The petitioner said the Sonapur tunnel was too short and it was plain to see before the construction was undertaken that there would be heavy landslides at either end.
“The petitioner points out that despite orders in this matter, including the one passed on June 21, 2023, no steps have been taken by the NHAI to take care of the stretches on either side of the Sonapur tunnel,” the court said.
“A copy of this order will be reached to the Chairman or the highest authority of the National Highways Authority of India for immediate appropriate action to be taken altogether with an explanation as to why the North-East has to suffer such colossal inaction,” the court ordered.
