Orissa High Court Directs NHAI To Urgently Repair NH-215 Stretch Within 3 Weeks

The Orissa High Court last week directed the Collectors of Jajpur and Keonjhar districts and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to jointly ensure the repair of a 163 km stretch of the National Highway 215 (NH-215) which is in a precarious condition within a period of three weeks.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice S. Muralidhar and Justice Savitri Ratho directed the aforementioned authorities to submit a joint compliance report detailing the repairs undertaken along with enclosed photographs before the next date of hearing which is slated to take place on July 26.

The orders had been issued while adjudicating upon a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed highlighting the urgent need to repair the stretch of the highway between Panikoili in Jajpur district (starting point) to Rimuli in Keonjhar district. It was also submitted that the highway in its present state posed a huge safety risk as heavy trucks laden with ores and minerals regularly use the highway for transport.

The petitioners also pointed out that the highway serves as the primary stretch of transport for the people of three major districts i.e. Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Jajpur. In spite of repeated complaints, the concerned authorities had refused to consider their grievances and carry out the required repairs. As a result, the petitioners prayed before the Court to issue urgent directions to protect the right to life, health and livelihood of the aggrieved parties as enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Opining on the urgent need to carry out extensive repairs of the highway, the Court observed,

"This being one of the main thoroughfares serving the needs of the mining districts of Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar, it is important to ensure safe passage for the trucks, the public transport and motor vehicles in general. There are apparently some stretches that are accident prone and cause grave threat to the safety of the public. With the advent of the monsoon, the need to repair NH 215 has attained grave urgency."

Accordingly, the Court directed the Collectors of Jajpur and Keonjhar districts along with authorised representatives of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and senior level engineers to immediately undertake a visit to the to the aforementioned stretches of NH 215 to examine the present condition and put in place a plan of action for repair on an urgent basis.

"..the timely completion of the repairs over the next three weeks must be ensured on a war footing on priority basis", the Court directed.

Case Title: Mitra Bhanu Mohapatra v. Secretary, Road Transport & Highways Government of India and others

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