HP High Court's notice to Attorney General of India over road, tunnel construction work

Vijay Arora

Shimla, August 2

Expressing serious concern on the issue of unplanned excavation of mountains/hill slopes and poorly executed works of construction of roads and tunnels in the state, the HP High Court has issued notice to the Attorney General of India.

Damage caused  to hills

• It was alleged in the PIL that the construction work being undertaken is unscientific and has caused loss and damage to the hills of the state. 
• It was alleged in the PIL that between Parwanoo and Solan there has been vertical cutting instead of slope or step cutting for the purpose of widening of the road.

While passing this order, a division bench comprising the Chief Justice M.S Ramachandra Rao and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel observed that “the recent heavy rains in the state have had serious impact on the national highways and there has been considerable damage to the highways on account of landslides and soil erosion, particularly on the Chandigarh-Shimla national highway and the Chandigarh-Manali national highway. There has been considerable disruption in normal life because of the blockage of roads and the national highways.”

Issuing notice, the court further observed that “having regard to the magnitude of the problem, we deem it appropriate to issue notice to the learned Attorney General of India.” It further directed the parties to supply a full set of documents to the Deputy Solicitor General of India within three days and listed the matter for further hearing on August 21.

The court passed this order on a Public Interest Litigation on the issue of National Highways Construction by the National Highways Authority of India and its Contractors as well as state roads by HPPWD contractors. It was alleged in the PIL that the construction work being undertaken is unscientific and has caused loss and damage to the hills of the state. 

It was alleged in the PIL that between Parwanoo and Solan there has been vertical cutting instead of slope or step cutting for the purpose of widening of the road. It was further contended that due to lack of technology the retaining walls are weak and there are no proper drainage channels for underground water. That the width of the road is also not as per specifications. 

It was further contended that extensive deforestation has led to soil erosion, which is constantly leading to landslides, etc.

In its earlier order the court had directed the NHAI to file an affidavit setting out the procedure which is being followed before construction work of roads or tunnels is undertaken. 

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