The Gauhati High Court directed the Deputy Commissioners of Sivasagar and Dibugarh Districts to supervise the work for early completion of 4-laning of the National Highway no 37 from section of Numaligarh-Dibrugarh stretch.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Rashmin Manharbhai Chhaya and Justice Soumitra Saikia closed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by one Dr. Bhaskar Jyoti Gogoi prayed for the following reliefs: “ It is, therefore, prayed that Your Lordships would be pleased to admit this petition, call for the entire records of the case and direct the respondent to show cause as to why a direction in the nature of mandamus shall not be issued for early completion of 4-laning of the National Highway no 37 from section of Numaligarh-Dibrugarh stretch starting from 402.500 KM to 583.420 KM i.e. about 181 KM, under the supervision of a High Level Committee or alternatively hand over the aforesaid stretch of work to any other competent agencies for its expeditious completion and/or to show cause as to why appropriate direction should not be issued to concerned respondents to inquire and identify the erring officials and contractors who are responsible for inordinate delay in completion of 4-laning work started in 2015 and initiate departmental proceeding/penal action against such erring officials and contractors and/or pass any other order/orders as Your Lordship may deem fit and proper.
-And
Pending disposal of this application, Your Lordship may be pleased to direct the NHIDCL to properly maintain the existing service road/roads free from potholes and damages and undertake appropriate measures to repair the present road forthwith and/or pass any other order/orders as Your Lordship may deem fit and proper.”
The counsels for the parties have invited the attention of the High Court to the project wise status report submitted by the respondent authorities wherein as far as the subject matter of the petition is concerned, which is more particularly a stretch of National Highway No. 37 from Jorhat to Dibrugarh, it is indicated that 4-laning balance length of 1.4 km in scattered stretches between Srirampur and Kachugaon which comprises of three bridges, will be completed by December of this year.
The Court noted that the State Government has undertaken the task of completing the highway at the highest level and the authorities of NHIDCL shall adhere to the time table as indicated in the report which is placed on record.
“The Deputy Commissioners of Sivasagar and Dibugarh Districts are thus directed to supervise the work so that it is completed as per the report and planning of the State Government and the National Highway Authority of India. With this observation, the proceedings of this PIL are closed”, the order reads.