Gauhati HC: If road construction takes 2 days for VIP visits; why 20 days for 25-metre stretch?

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court sarcastically commented that a road is prepared in just two days in the event of a VIP visit, but it takes a long time to complete just 25 metre of an alternative road. The road in question was ordered to be constructed in the Malibagan area of Kharghuli in Guwahati.

The division bench of Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice Kardak Ete passed the comment while hearing a Public Interest Litigation case (PIL 7/2015) filed in connection with the encroachment of land belonging to the Gauhati High Court.

The road in question, a public link road on land belonging to the court, will connect the Malibagan area with the Bhupen Hazarika Road here. The court decided to order construction of the road in October 2022 after it noticed that there is a provision for a public road in the relevant trace map, which has not been constructed thus far. In order to expedite the process, the HC impleaded the Public Works Department (PWD), the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), and the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC).

In the instant hearing, the bench pointed out that the road was not completed within the assured time. On April 2, 2024, D. Nath, Senior Government Advocate, Assam, assured the Court that the construction of the alternative road would be completed by the end of May 2024. Again, on May 27, 2024, Nath gave assurance to the Court that the construction of the alternative road would be completed by mid-June 2024, stating that the construction of the alternative road could not be completed on account of some trouble created by the local residents.

Taking into consideration the said statement, this Court directed counsel Nath to file an affidavit of the official concerned with the details of persons who are creating trouble in the construction of the alternative road. It was stated that no affidavit was filed pursuant to the direction given by this Court. But on June 19, 2024, Nath again submitted that construction could not be completed due to opposition by the local residents, but the identities of those residents were not disclosed. The HC then ordered the PWD official concerned to be present.

Consequently, Bhaskar Misra Bhagabati, Executive Engineer, PWD, New Guwahati Territorial Road Division, Guwahati, was personally present before the Court during the instant hearing.

In the instant hearing, Nath submitted that the department has decided to seek police help for the completion of the construction of the alternative road.

The bench remarked that it was strange that the decision to take police help had not been taken earlier when the local residents had created trouble. The bench then directed the Executive Engineer, PWD, New Guwahati Territorial Road Division, Guwahati, to complete the construction of the 20-metre alternative road by June 27, 2024, within 7 days of passing the order or face contempt of court. When asked for 20 days' time, the bench commented that a road is constructed in two days when a VIP visits and refused to give more time.

Listing the matter again on June 27, 2024, the bench directed that, on that day, a completion report of the alternative road along with the photographs should be produced before this Court.

 Also Read: Assam: Chandrapur student body demands scientific construction of road (sentinelassam.com)

Also watch: