HC pulls up NHPC over unsatisfactory maintenance of roads under its care

GANGTOK, 04 Sept: The High Court of Sikkim has pulled up the National Hydro Electricity Power Corporation [NHPC] for unsatisfactory maintenance and progress of work on roads entrusted to them.
The High Court has directed NHPC to file an affidavit regarding the steps taken by the corporation with respect to the responsibilities allotted to them. Sections of the Singtam-Dikchu highway have been placed under NHPC’s charge for maintenance and repairs since, till recently, they were the heaviest users of this stretch of road. NHPC, the court observed, has not discharged satisfactorily enough on these works.
The observations and directions were made when the High Court was hearing the suo moto case take up in 2010 against the Secretary, Ministry of Surface Transport and others regarding the 31-A National Highway which is being maintained by the Border Roads Organisation.
On 03 September, the division bench headed by Chief Justice Permod Kohli and including Justice SP Wangdi, passed directions to all 10 respondents, including the State Public Works Department and NHPC, to file fresh affidavits on a quarterly basis updating the progress of works.
The High Court has also pulled up the Project Swastik and BRO and directed the respondents to take a decision regarding clearance of the projects, components, grant of sanction, completion of survey not later than three months adding that failure of the concerned authorities to comply with the direction shall be taken seriously.
The High Court has also directed the Central Government Standing Counsel, Karma Thinlay to serve a copy of the order to all concerned for compliance within two weeks.
The latest orders of the High Court have come in the light of the affidavit filed by BRO, Project Swastik in its quarter report with respect to the various projects undertaken by them. The High Court slammed BRO that except the works in Phase-I, which relates to improvement of trouble spots, there is not much progress regarding the other works.
“Even in most of the works, the clearance from the concerned authorities and departments is still awaited, the further progress of all the components of the works has come to a stand-still”, the High Court observed.
It further pointed out that there has been lackluster approach by the authorities at every step, at the stage of clearance of the projects by various agencies and authorities, surveys, sanction of the project, allocation of fund and issuance of NIT etc. Most of the works have not been allotted and even where some works have been approved by the authorities, further process has not taken place.
On the other hand, the court further said that the first affidavit filed by Superintendent Engineer of Road and Bridges department, Government of Sikkim regarding the work on 9th Mile, 31-A National Highway executed by State Public Works Department has already commenced.
However, the court has expressed its concerns that the work was entrusted to the PWD in March 2009 and it has taken three years to complete the process of allotment, which is not justified. The works entrusted to PWD is being executed since February 2012 and as per the terms of allotment/agreement, the work is to be completed by the end of February 2015.
The High Court has directed PWD that the work should be executed at the required pace and completed within the scheduled period since the work entrusted to the department has already commenced.