Miffed by the delay by authorities to carry out repair of the dilapidated National Highway-6 in East Jaintia Hills, the Meghalaya High Court has directed the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to start the repair of the highway and show the extent of the work undertaken till October 5.
During hearing of a PIL on the matter today, the division bench of the High Court also asked the Deputy Commissioner of East Jaintia Hills to submit a report regarding the extent of work carried out in Khliehriat town and beyond Khliehriat to the south up to Lumshnong.
The court also directed that the report should be available at the next hearing on October 5.
During today’s hearing, the NHAI filed an affidavit stating that the Regional Officer of NHAI posted in Guwahati had already visited the site on September 16. The instructions given by the Regional Officer are recorded in the site inspection report of September 16.
The NHAI report also stated that specific instructions have been issued on September 19 to one of the contractors and to the Project Director of NHAI to take immediate short-term measures to make the entire stretch of NH-6 from Jowai to Ratacherra traffic-worthy.
Much emphasis has been laid in the letters by the NHAI Regional Officer regarding the two critical locations at Khliehriat town and near the tunnel at Sonapyrdi.
The Regional Officer’s letter also said that the critical stretches should be repaired by October 15 and that the short-term repair work of the entire 57 km stretch should be completed by November 15.
Recently, the High Court had observed that there was no sign of any road in these critical stretches in Khliehriat town and beyond Khliehriat to the south up to Lumshnong.
“It is hoped that appropriate funds would be released for the work to be taken up on a war footing and on a daily basis. This court is not really interested in the letters exchanged between NHAI officials or the written instructions issued to contractors; what is important is when the work starts and when it is completed to make the road somewhat motorable and, thereafter, complete the strengthening thereof,” the High Court said today.
“For such purpose, the matter will appear a week hence for both the petitioner and the NHAI to indicate the extent of work undertaken till then. The State will cause a report to be filed by the Deputy Commissioner, East Jaintia Hills district as to the extent of work carried out in Khliehriat town and beyond Khliehriat to the south up to Lumshnong. Such report should be available on the adjourned date,” the High Court ordered while listing the matter for hearing on October 5.
