'Pitiable Condition' Of NH-8: Gujarat High Court Seeks NHAI Response On Repairs, Amount Spent On Maintenance & Toll Collected

The Gujarat High Court has asked the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to file an affidavit informing about repair works conducted in the last 3 years on a section of NH-8 as well as the amount spent for maintenance of these sections along with the toll amount collected for the time period. The court was hearing a PIL highlighting mismanagement of a section of the National Highway between Ankleshwar- Bharuch, Bharuch-Surat and Surat Dahisar, alleging that the road conditions have been pitiable for a long time. It was submitted that there has been consistent congestion on these sections of the National Highway No.8 with the heavy movement of commercial transport vehicles for the area which is marked heavily by manufacturing industries. It was submitted that there is a complete dereliction on the part of the NHAI, which is in absolute management and control of the section of old NH-8 between the aforesaid stretches. It was also contended that NHAI has collected huge toll from the toll plazas established on the aforesaid stretches of the highway. A division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice DN Ray in its order said:"Noticing the above, we find that before proceeding further, it is required that an affidavit of the Project Directors, NHAI of the concerned areas shall be filed to bring on record:(i) the construction or repair works conducted by the NHAI in the last three years specifically showing the intervals and the manner in which the repairs and maintenance of the aforesaid sections of the National Highway in the aforesaid stretches have been carried out;(ii) the amounts spent by NHAI in the operations and maintenance of the aforesaid sections of the National Highway vis-a-vis the toll collected by the NHAI in the last three years".NHAI submitted that it is facing difficulties in the proper management and control of the aforesaid sections because of the non-cooperation of the local police and administrative authorities. It was submitted that issues pertaining to parking of the vehicles on the road side and mushrooming of dhabas on the roadside and a section of the roads by encroachment of the portion of the National Highway, is a major cause of concern.The court thus directed the NHAI to file the affidavit before the next date of hearing and serve a copy to the petitioner in advance. The matter is listed on April 10.Case title: MINESHKUMAR PARMAR v/s MINISTRY OF ROAD, TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS & ORS.R/WRIT PETITION (PIL) NO. 48 of 2022, R/WRIT PETITION (PIL) NO. 22 of 2023Click Here To Read/Download Order

'Pitiable Condition' Of NH-8: Gujarat High Court Seeks NHAI Response On Repairs, Amount Spent On Maintenance & Toll Collected

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