The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has sought details of the sanctioned money for restoration of damaged roads in Kashmir from the state government. It has also asked the state to furnish report on the restoration work carried out by the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department since May this year.
The directions were issued today by a Division Bench of the High Court, which is hearing public interest litigation filed by the Civil Society, Tral, through advocate GN Shaheen. The society has highlighted the pathetic condition of roads in the PIL.
In May, the Roads and Buildings Department in its compliance report had submitted that it required Rs 550 crore for permanent restoration of roads damaged in September floods last year.
During today’s proceedings, Shaheen submitted that the restoration work on roads damaged during the floods and other highways in Kashmir was moving at a very slow pace.
He even pointed out that a stretch of the Srinagar-Anantnag highway from the Pantha Chowk to the Lal Chowk passing via Badamibagh cantonment had been altogether abandoned and no government agency was talking up the restoration work of the stretch.
The Chief Justice asked the government what amount had been released so far for the restoration of highways.
“We know from our personal experience we visited Shopian and saw the condition of roads personally. Mere words are not sufficient it should be in action,” the Chief Justice observed while narrating his experience of commuting on one of the highways in Kashmir.
After hearing both the sides, the High Court directed the state Finance Department to submit by October 27 a report giving details of the sanctioned money for restoration of the roads and also asked the R&B Department to give details of the works carried out since May this year, when the PIL was constituted.
The Chief Engineer, R&B, Kashmir, in his compliance report in May had stated that out of the total road network of 13,898.37 km in the Kashmir valley, 1,696.06 km were badly damaged in the floods.
The Chief Engineer had said permanent restoration of the damaged road network, as per the existing specifications, was worked out at Rs 327.16 crore and the same was intimated to administrative department for approval.
The officials had further stated that excessive snow and rain in March and April made further damages to the network, which required additional Rs 222.48 crore.
