HC seeks status report on national highways

Legal Correspondent

Shimla, November 16

Expressing serious concern over the slow pace of construction work on the national highways, the HP High Court today directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to file separate status report in respect of each national highway, giving full description of length of the highway to be widened/four-laned.

It further directed the NHAI furnish details of the work completed so far, the nature of incomplete work and the current status of the contractor whether the work is going on without any dispute.

The court further sought details wherever a dispute has arisen with the contractor and the work is lying stopped or it has been given to other contractor. It further directed the NHAI to inform the court about the amount disbursed to each contractor.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel passed this order on a bunch of public interest litigations on the issue of pitiable condition of different national highways passing through the state of Himachal and slow pace of construction work on these.

While passing this direction the court directed the NHAI to file detailed status report on or before December 26.