Remove heavy vehicles parking along NH-2 Lerie-Mao Gate stretch, HC Bench directs

September 22, 2022 37 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Kohima | September 22

The Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench, on September 21, has directed the Deputy Commissioner, and Superintendent of Police, Kohima to “ensure that the parking of heavy vehicles along the stretch from Lerie Junction up to Mao Gate is removed.”

Ensure that no further parking is allowed to enable the contractor to maintain the road stretch without any hindrance, stated the order issued by the Division Bench comprising of Justice LS Jamir and Justice Songkhupchung Serto.

Resuming the hearing of a suo moto public interest litigation (PIL) on the ongoing upgradation of National Highway-2 to two-lane with paved shoulder from Kohima to Mao, the Bench issued the direction after the counsel for the contractor (Fortune Groups) submitted that maintenance of the work between Khuzama to Mao Gate is hampered due to the parking of heavy vehicles along with the said stretch.

While the Court directed, on September 14, had directed the contractor to maintain the road in a “traffic-worthy condition” within 7 days, it was informed that no work could be done due to inclement weather.

It was only from September 19 that the Deputy Commissioner, Senapati stopped sending vehicles during the daytime in order to allow the smooth functioning of the related road maintenance between the aforesaid stretch, the contractor’s counsel informed.

He further submitted that the maintenance work is almost complete along the stretch from Khuzama to Mao Gate and further maintenance would continue.

However, the Bench noted that statement has also been made that some potholes have been filled up by the contractor since September 19 between Khuzama to Mao Gate, but the maintenance work is still not satisfactory.

The Court has also been informed that the condition of the road from the Lerie Junction up to Mao Gate has deteriorated considerably and there are a number of potholes, it said.

Accordingly, as the contractor is same, the Bench directed the former to maintain the road from Lerie Junction to Mao Gate.

Further taking into consideration of the contractor on parking of heavy vehicles between Khuzama to Mao Gate hampering maintanice work, the Bench also impleaded the Superintendent of Police, Kohima as a respondent in the PIL.

The Bench also stated that the Amicus Curiae of the case will undertake inspection of the road from Lerie Junction to Mao Gate and filed a report.

The Bench listed the matter for hearing again on September 28.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/remove-heavy-vehicles-parking-along-nh-2-lerie-mao-gate-stretch-hc-bench-directs