Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 17: High Court today directed the State as well as National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to make the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and internal roads of Kashmir valley motorable.
The Division Bench of High Court comprising Justice MH Attar and Justice B S Walia in PIL sought information from National Highway Authority of India and Chief Engineer Roads and Buildings Kashmir about the steps taken for making the National Highway motorable for general public.
Union counsel, Advocate S A Makroo submitted before the Court that matter be ordered to be listed in the next week so as to enable him to inform the court about the steps taken for making the Srinagar-Jammu Highway motorable.
“Union counsel submitted that steps will be taken on war footing to restore the road to a condition which will enable the commuters to have smooth and hassle free travel”, court said.
State counsel appearing on behalf of CE R&B submitted that the job of making patch work was entrusted to CE but the same has been withdrawn. “The CE R&B Department, Kashmir shall take steps for making internal roads of Kashmir valley motorable”, directed the bench.
The court is dealing with a PIL wherein it is stated that from Banihal to Srinagar, the construction and development of the modernized four lane Express Highway has been allotted to a company – Ramky Infrastructure Limited – with Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to construct the road from Banihal to Srinagar by 2013 and till such construction is complete and operative for traffic, to maintain the existing highway from this distance and public at large is made to understand that the maintenance of existing road is to be done by the Ramky Infrastructures.
It is alleged that neither the company nor the Border Roads Organization and R&B Department are making the repairs of the road for the last 6 years as the entire road is in dilapidated condition and in total shamble resulting into damage of vehicles, physical and mental pain to public at large besides loss of precious lives due to accidents.
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