Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 2: Division Bench of State High Court comprising Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Tashi Rabstan has disposed of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding dilapidated condition of roads in the State.
After hearing Advocate Parveen Kapahi for the PIL, the DB observed, “petition came to be filed on 28th of May, 2015 complaining against the respondents’ inaction and failure to keep the roads travel worthy in the entire State”, adding “the petitioner made a general complaint that the roads were full of potholes and ditches and that the respondents were bound to ensure that the roads remained smooth so that the common man cannot suffer and additionally, inter alia, a prayer has been made that the respondents should maintain a hotline or website to enable the citizens to intimate the concerned authorities, for redressal of grievances regarding the above state of affairs”.
“When the writ petition came up on 1st of June, 2015, a general direction was made by this court directing the respondents that wherever required necessary repair work shall be effected to make the roads travel worthy”, the DB said, adding “it is not disputed by the counsel for the petitioner that after filing of the writ petition the conditions of the roads in Jammu have improved”.
“It is an essential duty of the respondents to ensure that the roads in Jammu are maintained in a travel worthy condition. In case any digging is required for any reason or purpose, necessary restoration work should be expeditiously carried out. Even the suggestion of the petitioner regarding maintenance of the website or a dedicated telephone number/line is a valuable one”, the DB said and disposed of the petition with liberty to the petitioner to file an appropriate writ petition, if aggrieved by the failure of the respondents to maintain any specific road in future.
The DB also directed respondents to examine the prayer of the petitioner regarding the maintenance of a dedicated telephone line and website to enable complaints regarding roads being placed before the authorities so that immediate redressal thereof can be ensured.
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