HC gives PWD, NHAI four-week ultimatum to fix the ‘riddled’ NH-206
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 4: A staggering 90% drop in truck traffic on the Dawki-Jowai road following a High Court crackdown has exposed the scale of unregulated mineral transport in Meghalaya, prompting the Court to give the PWD and NHAI a four-week ultimatum to fix the “riddled” highway.
A report submitted by Amicus Curiae Philemon Nongbri following a May 14 site inspection of NH-206 revealed that while 300 to 350 loaded trucks travelled toward the Bangladesh border daily prior to the court’s April interim order, that number has plummeted to approximately 25 trucks per day.
The drastic reduction highlights the extent of previous illegal operations. While the Amicus noted “substantial compliance” regarding vehicle registrations, he described the Transport department’s enforcement as “below satisfactory.”
The report found police personnel absent from key stretches of the highway, integrated check gates, and parking areas. Furthermore, most roads leading to limestone quarries lack signboards, making it nearly impossible to trace the source of minerals.
The inspection further highlighted the dire state of the highway, which remains heavily damaged and riddled with potholes. The report noted that long queues of trucks frequently force smaller passenger vehicles and tourists to drive on the wrong side of the road, creating severe accident risks.
A division bench of Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice W Diengdoh subsequently impleaded the Public Works Department (PWD) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) as respondents, directing them to repair identified stretches within four weeks.
The court also took on record an affidavit from the Transport Department claiming a “special intensive drive” in which 29,000 vehicles were checked across 12 districts. However, the data revealed that only 120 heavy goods vehicles were regularized or had fitness certificates renewed during this period, raising questions about the efficiency of state enforcement prior to judicial intervention.
To tighten oversight, the court ordered the permanent posting of transport and police personnel at the Amjeha weighbridge and the Dawki Land Port junction within three weeks. The Directorate of Mineral Resources and the Forest department have also been directed to map all entry points to licensed quarries and install official numbered signboards to ensure minerals are not sourced from illegal mines.
The Advocate General informed the court that steps are being taken to establish an integrated digital enforcement database, as the state currently lacks an automated e-Challan system to track offenders.
Environmental authorities have been tasked with assessing the impact of limestone quarrying in the region, with a report due before the next hearing on July 15. The court also directed the state to pay the Amicus Curiae an interim remuneration of Rs 1 lakh for his assistance.
