Patna HC seeks status report from state government on pending Patna-Gaya NH project

PATNA: The Patna high court on Friday directed the development commissioner to conduct a meeting with all concerned officers including those from National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) on steps which are yet to be taken for completion of much delayed broadening and construction of national highway connecting Patna and Gaya.
A division bench of chief justice Sanjay Karol and justice S Kumar was hearing batch of two PILs of social organisation Pratijnya and Gaurav Kumar Singh via video conferencing when it fixed June 8 as next date of hearing.
It directed state government to submit a status report categorically on areas for which acquisition process had yet not started, acquisition notification had been issued but amount not disbursed to rightful claimants, land which is yet not been handed over to NHAI for road construction, and area for which NHAI had yet not allotted construction work.
The bench, while observing that a lot is required to be done, directed state government to reply that why more than Rs 300 crore is lying with competent authority for land acquisition (CALA) in Jehanabad district administration and it had yet not been disbursed to rightful claimants.
Observing that matter is important and upcoming monsoon, high court directed all concerned officers including road construction department and NHAI be present before via video conferencing with all data for next hearing.
Court observed that need of the highway is even more in present time as huge number of persons are returning home and it had highlighted the importance and significance of the highway during multiple hearings as it would provide boost to tourism and generate employment for people in rural areas.
Additional solicitor general SD Sanjay alogn with central government counsel Anshay Bhahadur Mathur appeared for NHAI while additional advocate general Anjani Kumar appeared for state. Counsel Manish Kumar appeared for Pratijnya and Sumeet Kumar Singh appeared for second petitioner.
Pratijnya had urged high court to direct concerned authorities to complete land acquisition and finishing project of broaden NH pending for several years, Singh had filed PIL for stopping dumping of garbage and sewerage in Phalgu river in Gaya and ensuring proper civic amenities like drinking water to residents.