Gauhati High Court asks NF Railway to take initiative for construction of overbridge

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court has directed the Northeast Frontier (NF) Railway authority to send an estimate of expenses and relevant drawings to the Government of Assam latest by August 19 for construction of a road overbridge at Ujanpara village of Salmara Part-II under the Bongaigaon district. The directive to submit the estimate and drawings came after the NF Railway authority submitted that the expense for construction of such road overbridges is to be borne by the State Government.

The directive has been issued in response to a PIL (85/2020) filed by 44 residents of the area in question. The petitioners have submitted that due to the laying of a railway track in the Salmara Part-II/Ujanpara area, the village has been divided into two parts - northern part and southern part. Connectivity between the two parts has been also disrupted because of non-provision of any manned level crossing. Moreover, the petitioners contended that the unauthorized and unmanned railway track is posing a risk to the lives of the children and elderly folk of the area, besides livestock.

The High Court noted at the latest hearing that the matter has been pending for two years.

"This Court is of the prima facie opinion that in order to safeguard the interest of the public at large a road overbridge deserves to be constructed as soon as possible. Accordingly, NF Railway shall send an estimate of the expenses as well as the drawings to the competent authority of the State Government latest by 19.08.2022," the court observed.

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