J&K High Court has sought an updated status with regard to the compliance of its directions on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway project works.
A division bench of justice Ali Muhammad Magrey and Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul directed senior additional advocate general B A Dar to update the status of the compliance of the directions passed by court on 10 February, 2020. The direction came after the court observed that perusal of the pleadings on record suggested that there was no compliance with regard to its directions.
The court asked its Registry to send a copy of the order it passed today to the Chairman NHAI so as to ensure filing of updated status/compliance report by April 6,
In its order of 10 February, 2020 the court after going through the status report by NHAI detailing out the various difficulties being faced by the Authority in the process of completion of the Srinagar-Jammu Highway project works had issued several directions.
The Court had directed the Chief Secretary of J&K to convene a meeting of the Commissioners /Secretaries of Revenue Department, Power Development Department, and Forest Department and ascertain the difficulties faced by NHAI in completing the entire project.
The Court had directed the CS to issue possible directions to the concerned authorities for removal of the difficulties at the earliest.
While the court had directed the Commissioner Secretary Revenue Department to place before it the compliance of court order as nodal officer, it had directed NHAI through its Chairman to update its status report by supplying all the details regarding pending cases before any wing of the High Court as well as the other subordinate Courts along with copies of all orders passed from time to time restraining the Authority to proceed ahead in the matter.
With regard to Udhampur to Chenani and Chenani to Banihal stretches, the court had said the condition of the road was precariously shabby and that the concerned contractors were not maintaining the roads as per the required level. “We hope and trust that all possible efforts are taken by the concerned authorities in the Government of Jammu and Kashmir as well as in the National Highways Authority of India so as to redress this concern, “the DB had said.