The Meghalaya High Court today directed that the entire stretch of the National Highway-6 in the State till Ratacherra, including the Jowai by-pass should be in tip-top condition before the monsoons hit in the next fortnight.
The order was passed by the division bench of the High Court on the PIL filed by Kynjaimon Amse.
During today’s hearing, the State government informed the court that more or less 75 per cent of the stretch of the road between Thadlaskein and Mihmyntdu on the Jowai by-pass has been repaired and the remainder of the work is going on.
While Amse did not dispute the State government’s submission regarding repair of the stretch between Thadlaskein and Mihmyntdu on the Jowai by-pass, he however referred to the scope of the petition which pertains to the entire stretch of the National Highway till Ratacherra.
According to Amse, despite the previous assertion of the National Highways Authority of India that the entire stretch except the Jowai by-pass of slightly less than 8 km has been repaired, certain photographs need to be seen that reveal the current state of stretches of road at Lumshnong and several other places.
“The photographs appear to be credible enough and appear to be taken in the afternoon of June 1, 2023. It is unacceptable that even before the monsoons have set in, large tracts of the principal thoroughfare through the State into the Barak Valley would be in such pitiable condition as demonstrated by the photographs, despite the recent repair thereof. Since the NHAI seeks some time to ascertain the position, let the matter appear next week. It is hoped that the entire stretch of the highway in the State till Ratacherra, including the Jowai by-pass that the State has referred to, would be in tip-top shape even as the monsoons hit in the next fortnight,” the High Court said in its order.
