Ensure free movement on Durgapur Expressway: HC to NHAI

30 Aug 2008 The Times of India
KOLKATA: Calcutta High Court has stepped in to clear the clogged lifeline of south Bengal — Durgapur Expressway. For the past five days, the indefinite dharna in Singur by Trinamool Congress has not only brought traffic to a standstill on the highway, it has also stranded thousands of trucks carrying essential goods.

Acting on a writ petition by Calcutta Goods Transport Association and others, the court on Friday directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to ensure free movement of vehicles on Durgapur Expressway in accordance with law, without any further hindrance. Justice Nadira Patherya also suggested that if necessary, the NHAI authorities could take help from the state authorities in clearing the highway from any obstruction.

The petitioners contended that they had lodged complaints with the director-general of police about the blockade for the past five days, but little was done to clear the mess. So they moved high court, seeking its intervention to end the deadlock.

Appearing for the police, junior standing counsel Subrata Mukhopadhyay with Suman Ghosh submitted before the court that the force was ready to take any sort of action necessary. But since the issue was a sensitive one, the police had not taken any stern action so far.

Advocate Kalyan Banerjee, appearing for Trinamool Congress as an added party, submitted that Trinamool was not obstructing the expressway deliberately. The party was holding an agitation in Singur, because of which many people had assembled at the spot and as a consequence there was disruption on the road, he said. The matter will come up for hearing after four weeks. Reacting to the court's directions, chief secretary Amit Kiran Deb said they were yet to receive a copy of the order. IG (law and order) Raj Kanojia echoed him.

Besides the writ petition, a public interest litigation had also been moved before Calcutta High Court on the same issue by city resident Rana Pratap Sarkar, seeking removal of obstructions from Durgapur Expressway. During the day, the division bench of Chief Justice S S Nijjar and Justice Dipankar Dutta directed the state government to file an affidavit within two weeks.

In his petition, Sarkar had alleged that Trinamool's protest against land acquisition was blocking the road for the past five days.

The state government as well as the NHAI authorities had failed to ensure normal flow of traffic and thousands of trucks were stranded and essential commodities were rotting, Sarkar had said in his petition.

Source:- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Ensure_free_movement_on_Durgapur_Expressway_HC_to_NHAI/articleshow/3423736.cms