Kerala High Court Seeks Clarification From NHAI On Mobile App To Address Highway Maintenance Issues

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (06 January) has sought clarification from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) regarding the new feature in the mobile application 'Rajmargyatra' developed to address shortfalls in maintaining road standards prescribed by the Indian Road Congress (IRC).The division bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Syam Kumar V M were considering public interest litigation which sought various reliefs, including a direction to the State of Kerala, the NHAI and the Kerala Road Safety Authority to comply with the guidelines issued by the Indian Road Congress with respect to pedestrian-friendly measures.The Court has previously directed the NHAI to give publicity to the newly introduced feature in its mobile application 'Rajmargyatra' that permits citizens to submit grievances under the head 'Non-conformity regarding Indian Roads Congress Standards for the Pedestrians.'During the hearing, counsel appearing for the NHAI placed on record a memo detailing the publicity given to the mobile application, which is intended to enable users to flag deficiencies in highway maintenance. However, counsel for the petitioner raised specific concerns about the scope and effectiveness of the application.It was pointed out that the application, in its current form, primarily refers to issues faced by pedestrians and does not adequately address the overall condition of the roads. Additionally, the petitioner highlighted that no clear methodology has been developed or placed on record to explain how complaints lodged through the application would be processed, examined, or resolved by the authorities.Taking note of these submissions, the Court observed that both aspects require further clarification and appropriate action by the NHAI. The Court indicated that while the process of developing the application is ongoing, steps must be taken to ensure that it becomes a comprehensive and effective mechanism for addressing road maintenance issues in line with IRC standards.The Court thus directed that an inspection must be carried out by an officer of the National Highways Authority. The inspecting officer is to examine the specific issues highlighted by the petitioner and assess how the NHAI proposes to address them.The matter is posted for further consideration on 20 January. Case No: WP(C) No. 20485 of 2024 and connected caseCase Title: Prasad Somarajan v. State of Kerala and Ors. and connected caseCounsel for the petitioners: A. Aruna, P.V. Uttara S. Gopakumar

Kerala High Court Seeks Clarification From NHAI On Mobile App To Address Highway Maintenance Issues

Anamika MJ

Tags