The Gauhati High Court issued notice on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed with regards to constructions of roads under Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) which was launched by the Government of India in December, 2000.
The PMGSY project was sanctioned in the Dibang Vallley District for constructions of roads from Anini Hqrs. to Akunli which is a stretch of 8.940 Kms. at a cost of Rs.7,29,88,000/-, Anili Bazaar to Akunli which is 6.5 Kms. at a cost of Rs. 5,44,57,000/-, Anini HQ. to Maronli which is 30 Kms at a cost of 40,57,55,507/- only.
The petitioner, while monitoring the progress of the PMGSY road construction within the Anini District, found that several villages listed in the project documentation lack road construction under PMGSY. Further, there was a quality compromise, Culverts were removed and retaining walls and breast walls were absent in the landslide-prone areas. There were compromised concrete-cement drainage systems which led to cracks. There were also overlapping projects. No roads were built in the villages mentioned in the DPR. i.e. Anguli village, Agungo village, Agago village, Nulombo village and Singo village.
It was also found that the connection between Anini and Maronli via BRTF road already existed. For the above reasons, the petitioner found that the PMGSY package were falsely claimed through fabricated reports.
The petitioner had highlighted these discrepancies in numerous letters addressed to the relevant department however, no response was received. A complaint letter was also submitted to the Special Investigation Cell (SIC) and to the Chief Secretary in a letter dated 21.06.2023, however, since there was no response till date, the instant petitioner has approached this court by way of a public interest litigation since the construction of roads within the Dibang Valley District is in the interest of public.
The Itanagar Bench of Justice Marli Vankung and Justice Kaushik Goswami issued notice to the Respondents.