Srinagar: J&K High Court Friday allowed entry of vehicles carrying material for construction and macadamization of roads in the city during daytime with a direction that the work be carried out in an efficient and fast way.
Chief Justice Gita Mittal ad Justice Sanjay Dhar while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) ordered the concerned authorities to allow the entry of vehicles carrying the material for construction and macadamization of roads in the Srinagar city during daytime.
The court also directed the construction agencies to carry out the work in an efficient and fast way.
Adjudicating the PIL filed by Kashmir Consumer Welfare Forum, the court directed “the deficiencies be made good as per the Circular No. 16/GS dated 29th March 2020 upon removal of the current lockdown”.
It directed issuance of notice to the respondent authorities returnable on 1st July, 2020.
The court was referred to its own directions after which the government in 2015 had ordered that no truck, commercial goods carrier and loading vehicle shall be allowed to enter within the Srinagar municipal limits form 07:00 AM to 09:00 PM.
The order had been issued to avoid congestion, public nuisance and to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the city.
It was also informed about an order by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Traffic (Srinagar) passed on 1st of March this year that barred heavy vehicles from entering into Srinagar City from 07:00 AM to 10:00 PM to avoid traffic snarls.
The court allowed the applications by the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department of the Union Territory.
It directed “the SSP, Traffic City, Srinagar and its agencies shall permit vehicles carrying material required for construction and maintenance works being undertaken by the Department of R&B of the government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir within the municipal limits of Srinagar).”
A prayer had been made that R&B was in charge of activities pertaining to the construction and maintenance of roads, bridges and major infrastructural buildings of all government departments in J&K.
“There is an urgent need of repairing of dilapidated roads and macadamization of roads in the Srinagar city and without allowing entry of vehicles carrying the material for construction, macadamization of roads in the Srinagar city during day time would affect the pace of development work,” it pleaded.
