1,500 businesses on NH-44 running without permission

rveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, June 13

More than 1,500 big business establishments on National Highway-44 from the Kundli border to Ambala are running without the mandatory access permission from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). Only 15 establishments have taken permission from the ministry and have got it renewed in the last five years.

It was revealed in an RTI query filed by Harman Singh Sidhu, president, Arrive Safe, an NGO working for road safety for 14 years, to the project director, National Authority of India (NHAI), Ambala.

Sidhu had sought information regarding the number of establishments that have taken permission to run businesses. As per a survey by Arrive Safe, more than 1,500 big business establishments have not taken permission and continue to run without fear.

As per guidelines of the MoRTH, every business establishment has to take mandatory access permission to run any kind of business along the NH. For this, they have to apply with the ministry or the NHAI. The MoRTH gives permission if the safety provisions are met.

Hundreds of business establishments, including fuel stations, marriage palaces, amusement parks, eateries, banquet halls, automobile showrooms and others, are running without mandatory permission. They are openly violating norms and the authorities are turning a blind eye to it.

“I had filed an RTI application, seeking information about the number of business establishments on NH-44 that have taken mandatory access permission. I was surprised after receiving information that only 15 establishments from the Kundli border to Ambala on NH-44 have taken permission, while more than 1,500 are violating the norms and posing a threat to commuters,” said Sidhu. When Gautam Vishal, project director, NHAI, Ambala, was asked, he said the access points of such establishments had been blocked. However, he could not give the number of such establishments.

Flouting norms

• As per guidelines of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), every business establishment has to take mandatory access permission to run any kind of business along national highways

• Hundreds of business establishments, including fuel stations, marriage palaces, amusement parks, eateries, banquet halls, automobile showrooms and others, are running without mandatory permission on NH-44 from the Kundli border to Ambala