HC seeks progress report on Solan four-laning project

Legal Correspondent

Shimla, June 28

The High Court today directed GR Infraproject Limited, the contractor for the Parwanoo-Solan four-lane project, to file an affidavit informing the court about the factual position and how much time it would take for completing the work.

A Division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan passed this order on a petition filed regarding slow pace of construction work on this stretch.

During the course of hearing, it was informed to the court by the contractor that only 52 per cent of the site was handed over to him, whereas, according to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), approximately 72 per cent of the site had been handed over to the contractor. It was further informed to the court that the land that had standing trees and electricity poles could not be handed over to the contractor.

On this, the court directed the Deputy Commissioner, Solan, to convene a meeting of all stakeholders regarding realignment/redesigning of the plans at Jabli railway crossing and the period in which the remaining site would be handed over to the authorities and removal of electricity poles and high-tension wires from the site.

Passing this order, the court observed that the contractor was lagging behind in the work.

The high court further directed the authorities to sit and work out the modalities as to how quickly the land could be handed over by the state government to the NHAI and further to the contractor. the court listed the matter for further hearing on July 17.