The Meghalaya High Court has summoned the Chief Engineer, PWD (Roads) over the inaction by the department to improve the Sonapur-Borkhat road situated in East Jaiñtia Hills.
In an order passed today, the division bench of Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder and Justice Hamarsan Sing Thangkhiew expressed displeasure with the failure of the PWD (Roads) to act as per the assurances made to the court on the matter.
“It is evident that from the time of filing of the additional affidavit by the Chief Engineer, PWD (Roads), Meghalaya, Shillong, which was affirmed on 26th March, 2019, till today; apart from one or two correspondences, the concerned PWD authorities have done nothing substantial for improvement of the Sonapur-Borkhat Road situated in East Jaiñtia Hills District,” the order said.
The High Court also pulled up the PWD (Roads) for not providing up-to-date details to Additional Senior Government Advocate S Sengupta on the progress of the road project.
“It was the bounden duty of the concerned PWD (Roads) authority to have briefed the learned Advocate for the State before he appeared before us. It is palpably evident that they have not done so,” the court said.
The High Court has directed the Chief Engineer, PWD (Roads) to appear before the bench of Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder and Justice Hamarsan Sing Thangkhiew on February 18 and inform as to how long it will take for the department to repair the road in question since almost two years have already passed from the time the court took cognizance of the pitiable and deplorable condition of the road.
