Staff Reporter, Guwahati, January 21: The Gauhati High Court directed the central government and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to provide a detailed explanation regarding the alignment of National Highway 715, which is undergoing expansion into a four-lane highway between Kaliabor Tiniali and Numaligarh.A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice Kaushik Goswami, heard two Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petitions challenging the newly proposed alignment for the NH-715 expansion. The petitioners argued that the approved alignment deviates from the original route listed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), raising concerns about procedural transparency and adherence to guidelines.According to the petitioners, the official MoRTH route for NH-715 begins at the NH-15 junction near Tezpur and terminates at NH-2 near Jhanji, passing through Jakhalabandha, Bokakhat, and Jorhat. However, the current expansion project allegedly follows a different alignment, prompting legal objections.During the proceedings, the petitioners’ counsel referenced an October 19, 2024, meeting where NHAI identified the project as a "Brown Field" initiative, focused on enhancing an existing highway. The counsel argued that this classification does not justify changing the original alignment, contrasting it with a "Green Field" project that involves constructing a highway on a new route.The court has asked Deputy Solicitor General R.K.D. Choudhury and NHAI’s standing counsel C. Boruah to submit formal responses within two weeks. The next hearing is scheduled for February 6, 2025.In a related crackdown on illegal mining, authorities sealed 13 unauthorized rat-hole mines at Namdang colliery. On January 20, Margherita police, along with officials from the Northeastern Coalfields and Coal India Ltd, conducted another raid targeting illegal mining operations in Namdang, reinforcing their commitment to curb unlawful activities in the region.
0 Comments