Nagpur: The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court on Wednesday slammed the officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) during a hearing on the deplorable condition of various roads in Nagpur, including the stretch between Wadi Gurudwara and Wadi Police Station.
The court expressed deep concern over the lack of road maintenance. Citing ‘false’ affidavits submitted by the PWD regarding road upkeep and construction, the High Court questioned the Department about the possible contempt action against the responsible officials. The court stressed on the severe consequences of accidents caused by poorly maintained roads and verbally slammed the PWD officials and the contractors involved, questioning their commitment to the well-being of the common man.
In response to the critical situation, the High Court has summoned the Chief Engineer of PWD to appear personally during the hearing scheduled for March 6. The hearing held on Wednesday before Justice Nitin Sambre and Justice Abhay Mantri stressed on the urgency of addressing the deteriorating road conditions in the city. In light of a misleading affidavit submitted by the PWD, the High Court directed Adv Ravi Sanyal to offer suggestions and thoroughly examine the provided information.
The court also sought clarification on the environmental impact of recent road works, particularly in areas like Amravati Road, Bhandara Road, Katol Road, and Kalmeshwar Road. Instances of traffic congestion, disruption, and tree felling during construction raised concerns, resulting in the High Court to demand information on the number of trees planted in response to these activities.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the absence of the Chief Engineer and Superintendent Engineer of PWD during the hearing, the court underlined the need for accountability and transparency in addressing the city’s infrastructure challenges. In a previous hearing, the High Court had instructed the PWD to complete the roadwork from Bole Petrol Pump to Wadi and underlined the removal of barricades and obstacles hindering traffic flow.
The recent hearing witnessed the court’s firm stance against the PWD for its alleged noncompliance. Furthermore, the High Court directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to address service road issues on Nagpur-Amravati, Nagpur-Bhandara, and Nagpur-Umred highways. A PIL of Adv Arun Patil about damaged service roads, illegal parking, and disruptions caused by local markets and hawkers is pending in the court.
Adv Deepak Thakre and Adv Neeraj Patil represented the State, Adv Firdos Mirza appeared for the petitioner while Adv Anish Kathane represented NHAI. The High Court has set a deadline of March 31 for the Project Director of NHAI to submit a progress report on road works.
