MP High Court Directs Public Hearing Before Finalising Jabalpur Drainage Plan; Says No Private Land To Be Acquired
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the Jabalpur Municipal Corporation's High Level Technical Committee to grant an opportunity of hearing to residents and stakeholders before finalising its report on measures to address waterlogging in the city, while clarifying that no private land will be acquired or used for the proposed drainage (nala) project.A Division Bench of Justice Vivek...
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the Jabalpur Municipal Corporation's High Level Technical Committee to grant an opportunity of hearing to residents and stakeholders before finalising its report on measures to address waterlogging in the city, while clarifying that no private land will be acquired or used for the proposed drainage (nala) project.
A Division Bench of Justice Vivek Agarwal and Justice Vivek Jain was dealing with an interlocutory application filed by an intervenor in a previously disposed writ petition concerning persistent water logging issues in a residential society in Jabalpur.
Earlier, by order dated March 3, 2025, a coordinate Bench had disposed of the main writ petition after recording an assurance from the authorities that proactive steps such as desilting and cleaning of sewer drains and removal of encroachments from sewer lines would be taken to prevent water logging. The Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Jabalpur was directed to act in terms of the affidavit filed.
During the present hearing, counsel for the Corporation submitted that a High Level Technical Committee had already been constituted and its report was awaited, and that all actions would be taken in accordance with its recommendations.
The intervenor expressed apprehension that the proposed “nala” might pass through land abutting his plot. However, the Court recorded the clarification that “no construction is proposed on any private land or by acquiring any private land.”
At the same time, the intervenor sought an opportunity to be heard by the Committee before submission of its final report. Although the request was initially opposed by the petitioners, the Bench held that principles of fairness required that stakeholders be given a chance to present their objections.
Accordingly, the Court disposed of the application.
Case: NIDHI PANDE AND OTHERS Vs THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND OTHERS
Case No: WP No. 13962 of 2024