The Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Bilaspur to verify the assertions made by the petitioner in his representations for removal of obstructions and blockages over the public link road in question.
Petitioner Laxman Singh contended that the state government decided to construct 31 link/ambulance roads under 10th Circle, HP PWD Bilaspur. One such road approved for construction was Upper Bhager to Kalari-Sarti road. Budget of Rs 34.07 lakh for construction of this link road was also sanctioned. The ambulance road in question was to be constructed only after donation of land by the residents. The work was to start after the transfer of land in favour of the state government.
It has further been submitted that 27 persons, including the petitioner and private respondents, donated lands by way of gift deeds in favour of HP PWD for construction of the link road. In June 2021, tenders were floated by the Executive Engineer, PWD for construction of the culvert.
The tender was also awarded in favour of a Government contractor for a sum of Rs 12,20,739. Huge amount was spent by respondents for construction of the road. Though the road is still under construction, the vehicles, especially the ambulance, can ply on road. Residents of the area have also been using the road and plying their vehicles over it since 2018.
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The grievance of the petitioner is that private respondents blocked the link road in question on November 24, 2021 by putting bamboo sticks and by stacking huge heaps of soil and muck. Resultantly the ingress from the main road and outgress from the link road in question to the main road has been blocked. The private respondents have even put barbed wire at the entry point of the link road.
Gurjiv Singh Virdhi Counsel for the petitioner submitted that despite repeated representations preferred to the official respondents, the road has still not been restored for use by the general public.
Having regard to the submissions made in the PIL as canvassed by Senior Counsel for the petitioner, without advertising to merits of contentions raised, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua disposed of the petition by directing the Deputy Commissioner of Bilaspur to verify the assertions made by the petitioner in his representations.
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“In case the grievances of the petitioner are found to be genuine, then action in accordance with law be taken for ensuring that the obstructions and blockages over the link road in question are removed. Appropriate order, in accordance with law, in this regard be passed and resultant action be taken within a period of one month from today. Pending applications, if any, also stand disposed of”
-the order reads.